The Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) that controls health provision throughout the City of Sunderland has undertaken a "consultation" about the provision of primary/urgent health care. They want to close the Primary Care Centres at Houghton, Bunny Hill and Washington and replace them with just one urgent treatment centre at Pallion.

Health Service surveys have shown that it is important for people to keep their urgent care services near to home. Since the closure of the urgent care service at Palmers' Hospital in Jarrow, people from Jarrow, Hebburn and Boldon have also had to use Bunny Hill.