The Finchampstead Surgery

THE DOCTORS

Dr Michael Corfield (male)
MB BS (LONDON 1980) BSc MRCGP DRCOG

Dr Robin Mellows (male)
MB BS (LONDON 1980) MRCGP DRCOG AKC

Dr Johan Zylstra (male)
MB ChB (CAPE TOWN 1983) MRCGP

Dr Sue Bird (female)
BM (SOUTHAMPTON 1988) MRCGP DCH

Dr Karla Weir (female)
MB ChB (GLASGOW 1984) DCH MRCGP

Dr Jeremy Baily Gibson (male)
MB ChB (OTAGO 1993) MRCGP

PRACTICE NURSES

Gaynor Burton RGN RM Asthma Dip Family Planning Cert

Julie Riddell BA(Hons) RGN NDNCert Asthma Dip Family Planning Cert

Lin Brown RGN RM Asthma Dip Family Planning Cert

Julie Hall RGN RM Asthma Dip Family Planning Cert

Marian Pilgrim RGN RM

Helen Chang Phlebotomist / Healthcare Assistant

Business Manager Mr Adrian Keast

PRIMARY HEALTHCARE CLINICIANS

For an appointment with any of the following clinicians, unless otherwise stated in the information below, please telephone the surgery on (0118) 973 2678 and select option 2 for routine appointments.

General Practitioners (GP)

All the doctors are fully qualified and trained GPs having undergone at least several years' medical training and varying years of general practice experience. Their expertise lies in the general knowledge they have concerning all aspects of medicine. GPs may specialise in certain clinical areas such as gynaecology, paediatrics, geriatrics, musculoskeletal and dermatology. If they believe your condition requires further investigation or a confirmed diagnosis they will ask you to undergo tests at the surgery or refer you to a hospital consultant.

GP Locums

To maintain a consistently high quality service to our patients it is on occasion necessary to employ doctors from outside the surgery. You may be offered an appointment with a GP locum when your preferred GP is away or fully booked.

GP Trainee

The surgery is a GP training practice and as such trains qualified doctors with the necessary additional knowledge and skills in order to become a General Practitioner. These doctors have completed their medical studies and having qualified have chosen to pursue a career as a GP. A GP trainee remains with the surgery for 12 months and will see patients and undertake duties similar to those of the surgery doctors. As a consequence, you may be offered an appointment with a GP trainee. The surgery strongly supports the role of the GP trainee; however, patients do have the right to request not to take part in medical training consultations.

Practice Nurses

Nursing applies the same high standard of care to patients but from a different perspective to that of doctors. In recent years nursing has taken on a more progressive role within general practice. The surgery employs a number of nurses who provide a wide range of patient services. It is surgery policy that the nurses provide particular types of patient care and treatment rather than the doctors. It is therefore sometimes more relevant to your health needs that you see a nurse as opposed to a doctor; please bear this in mind when making an appointment.

Our minor illness nurse is qualified to see patients with the following issues/complaints: chest infections/asthma, indigestion, constipation, gynaecological, contraception and emergency contraception, earache, conjunctivitis, sinuses, sore throats, hayfever, mouth ulcers, impetigo, acne, eczema, rashes, thrush, strains/sprains, cystitis, urinary problems, query fractures and all minor injuries. In addition the minor illness nurse can prescribe any necessary medication.

Our specialist practice nurses are qualified to provide chronic disease reviews for asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes, hypertension and ischaemic heart disease (IHD). If you suffer from any one of these conditions you should ensure you have had your health and any medication reviewed on a regular basis. Our nurses will carry out the appropriate health checks including blood pressure and cholesterol checks, to make sure your condition is being managed as best as possible.

Our practice nurses also provide appointments for cervical smears, menopause and hormone replacement therapy, well woman/man clinics and family planning including confidential contraceptive advice for teenagers. In addition the practice nurses administer all vaccinations including childhood, travel and adult immunisations. They apply dressings to wounds and skin ulcers, remove minor injury stitches and assist the doctors in our minor surgery clinics.

Phlebotomist

Blood tests are carried out by our fully trained phlebotomist or a nurse at one of our phlebotomy clinics. They are held every morning except Friday and are by appointment only.

District Nurses

Patients who require nursing care and are housebound due to illness or infirmity, are seen by a nurse from the district nursing team. District nurses are registered nurses, specially trained to provide high standards of care in the community and work closely with practice clinicians in carrying out a variety of treatments including dressings, injections, general and terminal nursing, advice and support.

District nurses are not employed by the practice but by the local Primary Care Trust (PCT) and adhere to the PCT’s policies and procedures. However, they work from the Finchampstead clinic that adjoins the surgery and as a result we have an excellent working relationship with the team which greatly benefits patients.

Contact the district nursing team by telephoning them directly on (0118) 973 0088 between 9.00am and 4.00pm Monday to Friday or at other times via the out of hours service.

Health Visitors

The health visitors are registered nurses with specialist experience in promoting health and the prevention of diseases. They provide various services including antenatal and postnatal groups for first time mothers, baby advisory clinics, evening clinics for working mothers, child development assessments and parentcraft clinics. They also share the child health surveillance programme with the doctors. Children are routinely seen at both six weeks and three and a half years by the doctor and at eight months by the health visitor.

Health visitors are not employed by the practice but by the local Primary Care Trust (PCT) and adhere to the PCT’s policies and procedures. However, they work from the Finchampstead clinic that adjoins the surgery and as a result we have an excellent working relationship with the team which greatly benefits patients.

Contact the health visitors by telephoning them directly on (0118) 973 2670 or (0118) 932 8889, during normal hours for full details of the services they provide.

Community Midwife

The midwife shares the responsibility for antenatal care with the doctors. They are not employed by the practice but by the local Primary Care Trust (PCT) and adhere to the PCT’s policies and procedures. However, antenatal appointments are available one clinic a week at the surgery. This allows us to have an excellent working relationship with the midwives which greatly benefits patients. In addition, this enables expectant mothers to attend their practice rather than going to hospital clinics, even if delivery is due to take place in hospital.

Community Physiotherapist

Your doctor may refer you to the NHS physiotherapist for treatment or management of any muscular or skeletal/joint complaints. The physiotherapist is able to provide education on posture, advice and exercises and treatment using various manipulation techniques. This can often mean you are able to successfully manage a condition without the need for any invasive operation or achieve a full rehabilitation following surgery.
The community physiotherapist is not employed by the practice but by the local Primary Care Trust (PCT) and adheres to the PCT’s policies and procedures. However, appointments are available during two clinics per week at the surgery and this allows us to have an excellent working relationship with the physiotherapist which greatly benefits patients.