Doctors
Our Doctors (GPs) treat all common medical conditions. On a daily basis, they may perform clinical examinations of patients to assess, diagnose and monitor a patient’s condition, carry out tests within the surgery such as urine sample testing to assist with diagnosis, interpret findings from investigations such as blood tests to help reach a diagnosis and use basic life support skills and emergency procedures such as defibrillation where necessary.
Practice Nurses
Practice Nurses are fully trained in a wide range of skills including immunisations, health promotion, contraception, and management of long-term conditions eg advises on diet and lifestyle choices, on coronary heart disease, hypertension, asthma, diabetes, smoking cessation and obesity. Practice Nurses can extend their skills at Diploma Level and see many patients who previously would have seen the doctor.
The Nursing team run various nurse led clinics for diabetes, asthma, coronary heart disease, COPD as well as providing general nursing services, dressings, removal of sutures and blood tests.
SUSAN WILKINSON
Lead Nurse
Healthcare Assistants
Non-registered nursing staff who assist in patient care and Practice-related duties as directed by and under the supervision of a Registered Healthcare Professional (including Lead Practice Nurse and the GPs). Healthcare Assistants work collaboratively with the General Practice team to meet the needs of patients, and provide essential task-orientated services like taking blood samples (phlebotomy), processing specimens, performing ECGs (to measure heart function) and some long term condition reviews. They play a crucial role in supporting the Clinical Team.
GP Assistant
General practice assistants support the practice, and specifically the GPs by completing administrative tasks and some clinical duties.
Practice Management
DEBBIE CALDER
Practice Manager
Debbie is involved in managing all of the business aspects of the Practice such as making sure that the right systems and people are in place, at the right time, in order to provide a high quality of patient care, human resources, finance, patient safety, premises, equipment, and information technology. She supports the admin team, GPs and other medical professionals with delivering patient services and also helps to develop extended services to enhance patient experience and care. She is assisted in her role by Debbie Hilling.
DEBBIE HILLING
Assistant Practice Manager
Secretaries
The secretarial staff support the team in producing both clinical and non-clinical referral letters and any reports/letters that have been dictated or written by the Doctors. Duties can include but are not limited to, the processing of information (electronic and hard copy), processing subject access requests involving copies of medical records and medical report requests, minuting meetings, managing and keeping referral systems up to date.
Administrators / Reception
These members of staff attend to patients on the phone and in person. They co-ordinate and organise appointments and documentation to facilitate the smooth running of the Practice and support delivery of quality patient care. These staff have a very demanding role. They are here to assist you. We would ask you to be patient during peak times when the staff can handle a large volume of calls and enquiries. They will ask you a small amount of personal information about your medical condition – this information is used to ensure your call is dealt with by the correct clinician and assist fellow healthcare professionals who work within the Practice, in managing your health care and well-being.
All staff adhere to the Practice’s confidentiality policy and Data Protection Act 2018.
SELINA LAYDON
Office Lead
Community Nurses
Work closely with the practice dealing with patients who are too ill or infirm to come along to the surgery.
Health Visitors
Are based at the Civic Centre Gateshead. The team also includes Nursery Nurses .
To contact telephone 03000031918.
Midwives
The midwives hold two sessions per week but will also visit you at home in the early stage of pregnancy and after you have had your baby.
Care Navigators
Work in the practice and also visit patients at home offering a range of services to help patients to cope better with their health conditions.
Community Psychiatric Nurses
The Community Psychiatric Nurses deal with patients who are referred by the GP’s. We also have a MIND counsellor who works closely alongside our Community Psychiatric Nursing Team.
MacMillan Nurse
Helps to improve the lives of people affected by cancer, providing practical, medical, emotional and financial support to patients and their families.