SSP Health

According to the company website, the company was founded in 2002 by Shikha Pitalia, MBChB MRCGP and her husband, Sanjay Pitalia, also a GP. As of 2023, the company employs around 500 people and "runs 40 practises" treating about 150,000 patients.{{Cite web |date=n.d. |title=About Us |url=https://www.ssphealth.com/about-us |access-date=2023-03-03 |website=SSP Health |language=en}}

In 2013 SSP took over 22 practices in Liverpool and the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, adding to the 17 practices it was already running.{{cite news|title=NHS England 'working with' GP firm over Merseyside practice concerns|url=http://www.hsj.co.uk/news/primary-care/nhs-england-working-with-gp-firm-over-merseyside-practice-concerns/5062905.article#.UyN72IXBeU4|access-date=14 March 2014|newspaper=Health Service Journal|date=5 September 2013}} The contract was worth £26.7 million over three years. In 2016, only 5 of 20 contracts were renewed with SSP Health, which the Liverpool Echo called a "controversial private health firm".{{cite news|title=Revealed: £30m NHS bill for controversial private health firm|url=http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/revealed-30m-nhs-bill-controversial-11130240|access-date=3 April 2016|publisher=Liverpool Echo|date=3 April 2016}} The secretary of Liverpool Local Medical Committee described the contracts in May 2016 as "unworkable" and said they did not "stack up financially".{{cite news|title='Unworkable' primary care contracts put out for re-tender|url=http://www.hsj.co.uk/hsj-local/commissioners/nhs-liverpool-ccg/unworkable-primary-care-contracts-put-out-for-re-tender/7004920.article|access-date=31 July 2016|publisher=Health Service Journal|date=25 May 2016}}

When the firm first took over the practices, many of them were already struggling due to poor management and funding previously. The firm employed locums staff as they worked to rectify the problems inherited from the previous contract holders.{{cite news|title=Bill Esterson MP criticises company responsible for managing surgeries in Sefton|url=http://www.southportvisiter.co.uk/news/southport-news/bill-esterson-mp-criticises-company-8138015|archive-url=https://archive.today/20150117093302/http://www.southportvisiter.co.uk/news/southport-news/bill-esterson-mp-criticises-company-8138015|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 January 2015|access-date=11 January 2015|publisher=Southport Visiter|date=19 November 2014}}

In 2002, SSP Health pioneered 'federated General Practice',{{according to whom|date=March 2023}}

In 2023, the NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) awarded the contract to run a Health Centre near Chorley to SSP as preferred bidder by a small margin, angering patients. Staff have said they were "ready to resign" over the SSP Health takeover.{{Cite news |last=Alexandria Slater |date=2023-02-04 |title=Dedicated GP staff ready to resign over SSP Health takeover |language=en |work=Lancashire Telegraph |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/23296798.withnell-gp-staff-ready-resign-controversial-private-takeover/ |access-date=2023-03-03}} In February 2023, the NHS reversed its decision apologizing for the lack of public consultation in the process. SSP threatened legal action against "individuals who have made false or defamatory statements". This despite making millions over the last two financial years whilst refusing to treat people awaiting help from the Gender Service, they even joke they are 'right on' with the LGBTQi community.{{Cite journal |last=Iacobucci |first=Gareth |date=2023-02-23 |title=NHS board U turns on award of GP contract to private provider after patient backlash |journal=BMJ |language=en |volume=380 |page=453 |doi=10.1136/bmj.p453 |issn=1756-1833 |pmid=36822649|s2cid=257103166 }}

All practices inspected by the Care Quality Commission while part of SSP Health received{{when|date=March 2023}} a rating of "Good" or "Outstanding".{{cite web|url=http://www.cqc.org.uk/provider/1-199788055|title=SSP Health Ltd|publisher=Care Quality Commission|access-date=27 July 2016}}

SSP Health currently{{when|date=March 2023}} manages 37 GP surgeries aligned to 30 practices across 10 NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups in Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Cheshire, Merseyside and Cumbria. The company employs around 500 people and has a head office in Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan. It cares for approximately 150,000 patients across all of its sites.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}}

Since 2004, SSP Health has pioneered the role of Practice Champions to improve patient outcomes and quality of life.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}} Each practice is required to have nominated Cancer Champion and Carer Champion.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}}

In 2006, Shikha Pitalia devised an Acute Visiting Scheme for SSP Health, which won a number of awards. It was a much more efficient way to organise GP home visits. It has been used by its practices ever since and has now become a model for much of general practice in the UK.

In 2009, Shikha Pitalia - who is Secretary of the British International Doctors Association, Wigan division,{{citation needed|date=March 2023}} supporting education and welfare for doctors from diverse backgrounds - co-founded SSP Health Charitable Trust with Sanjay Pitalia, raising funds for local, national and international health-related charities. All her income for work done for Wigan's CCG and GP Alliance goes directly into the Trust.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}}

In 2019-20, despite the COVID-19 outbreak, 23 of SSP Health's practices attained a 100% score in their Quality and Outcomes Framework [https://www.ssphealth.com/ssp-health-practices-score-100-in-nhs-rating]. Four more practices achieved more than 99%.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}}

Shikha Pitalia is Chair of [http://www.wigangpalliance.org/ Wigan GP Alliance] and sits on the Healthier Wigan Partnership Board. Healthier Wigan is a partnership of [https://www.wiganboroughccg.nhs.uk/ NHS Wigan Borough Clinical Commissioning Group], Wigan Council Wigan Council, [http://www.bridgewater.nhs.uk/ Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust], [https://www.wwl.nhs.uk/ Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust], [http://www.nwbh.nhs.uk/ North West Boroughs Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust] and GP practices from across the borough (62 practices) and wider partners to improve services in Wigan and achieve better health outcomes for local people.

{{reflist}}

• [https://archive.today/20140314221230/http://www.ssphealth.com/about-ssp-health/ SSP Health] official website
• [https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/sites/default/files/Dr%20Pitalia.pdf Acute Visiting Scheme An Innovative Solution To Reduce Unscheduled Admissions] powerpoint presentation Shikha Pitalia, unknown date
• {{Cite web |last=McNulty |first=Sue |date=2013-03-14 |title=How our acute visiting service reduced emergency admissions by 30 per cent |website=Pulse Today |url=https://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/news/uncategorised/how-our-acute-visiting-service-reduced-emergency-admissions-by-30-per-cent/ |access-date=2023-03-03 |language=en-gb}}
• {{Cite news |last=Simon Mulligan |date=17 April 2019 |title=Two GP practices celebrate 100 per cent ratings |work=St Helens Star |url=https://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news/17579445.bowery-medical-centre-newton-medical-centre-celebrate-100-per-cent-ratings/ |access-date=2023-03-03 |language=en}}
• {{Cite news |last=Daniel Almond |date= 17 Apr 2019 |title=BOLTON GP PRACTICE HITS 100% RATING |work=Horwich Advertiser |url=https://www.horwichadvertiser.co.uk/news-article/4775/BOLTON-GP-PRACTICE-HITS-100-RATING |access-date=2023-03-03 |language=en}}
• {{Cite news |date=17 April 2019 |title=Waters Edge rewarded for good healthcare practice |work=Winsford Guardian |url=https://www.winsfordguardian.co.uk/news/17579457.waters-edge-rewarded-for-good-healthcare-practice}}
• {{Cite web |last=Mary Naylor |date=22 April 2019 |title=Doctors practice celebrates its good care record |work=The Bolton News |url=https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/17588999.bolton-medical-centre-celebrates-good-care-record/ |access-date=2023-03-03 |language=en}}
• {{Cite news |last=Andrew Nowell |date=22 Apr 2019 |title=Celebration as Wigan surgeries get step closer to cash boost |work=Wigan Today |url=https://www.wigantoday.net/health/celebration-as-wigan-surgeries-get-step-closer-to-cash-boost-1-9725393}}
• {{Cite news |last=Barbara Jordan |date=17 April 2020 |title=Middlewich GP surgery hits 100 NHS benchmark despite coronavirus outbreak |work=Northwich Guardian |url=https://www.northwichguardian.co.uk/news/18384775.middlewich-gp-surgery-hits-100-nhs-benchmark-despite-coronavirus-outbreak/ |access-date=2023-03-03 |language=en}}
• {{Cite news |last=John Deehan |date= 16 Apr 2020 |title=Burnley GP practice hits NHS benchmark |work=Burnley Express |url=https://www.burnleyexpress.net/health/burnley-gp-practice-hits-nhs-benchmark-2540017 |access-date=2023-03-03}}
• GP surgeries celebrate after being given 100 per cent rating [https://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news/18381826.gp-surgeries-celebrate-given-100-per-cent-rating/]
• SSP Health GPMS Ltd [https://web.archive.org/web/20171016222841/http://www.cqc.org.uk/provider/1-2243873064]
• Two St Helens GP surgeries get perfect ratings for healthcare [https://web.archive.org/web/20190417153558/https://www.sthelensreporter.co.uk/news/health/two-st-helens-gp-surgeries-get-perfect-ratings-for-healthcare-1-9717556]

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Category:General practice organizations

Category:Private providers of NHS services

Category:Medical and health organisations based in England