PRACTICE
STAFF
Practice
Manager
Mrs Alison Airey is the practice manager and is
responsible for the staff and administration of the practice.
Office
Managers
Jane Cambridge (Longfield) and Jane Baker (New
Ash Green) are in charge of the day to day running of the surgeries.
The Receptionists
We employ
14 staff, all of them part time. All our receptionists have been trained and many
of them are very experienced.
They have a lot of information at their
fingertips and are able to answer many of your queries. Anything you tell them
will be treated in absolute confidence. If you are unsure whether to consult a
doctor, nurse or health visitor etc, the receptionist will be able to advise you.
If you are in doubt about anything ask the receptionist. If she does not know
the answer she will ask someone who does.
Please rest assured that the
rules of confidentiality apply equally to all practice staff. A brief explanation
of your problem may enable them to suggest the right person for advice, or offer
the most suitable appointment.
Please help them to help you.
Health Care Assistant
Responsible for undertaking routine blood tests, dressings, blood pressure readings.
Secretaries
The practice employs
three secretaries:
Jean Bowes and Geraldine Barry at Longfield and Alison
Chalkley at New Ash Green. Their responsibilities include taking messages for
the doctors, arranging transport, hospital appointments and typing of referral
letters. They are able to deal with many queries and are always happy to speak
to patients.
Nurse Prescribers
These
nurses are trained to deal with minor illnesses and are able to sign prescriptions
from a restricted list without the need to see a doctor.
They run regular
surgeries at both New Ash Green and Longfield. Please book an appointment through
the receptionist.
Practice Nursing Team
Chris Watson, Maureen Beckenham and Joanna Thompson are the
practice nurses and are available to see you Monday to Friday (current vacancy). They are fully
trained and able to deal with a number of minor ailments, offer professional advice
and advise whether a doctor’s appointment is necessary. In addition, they
offer:
Family Planning Advice
Cervical Cytology
Travel
Advice and Immunisation
Dressings
Blood Pressure Checks
Removal of Sutures
Advice on the Treatment of Minor Injuries and Illnesses
Ear Syringing
Nurse Specialist for Asthma, Menopause and Coronary
Heart Disease
ATTACHED STAFF WHO ATTEND THE PRACTICE
Health Visitors
District
Nurses
Community Midwives
VISITING
STAFF
Counsellor
Diabetic
Liaison Nurse
Physiotherapist
Dietician
HEALTH VISITORS
These are trained professionals offering health promotion advice and information
resource for all age groups within the practice. They also provide developmental
assessment, screening and health care advice for families with children under
five. They work as a team to cover the practice area.
They are available
at New Ash Green Health Centre on 01474 872577.
DISTRICT NURSES
They tend to
the needs of those in the community who are unable to come to the surgery.
If you need to contact the district nurse, please telephone 01474 813789 and leave a message on their voicemail. They will then call you back.
COMMUNITY MIDWIVES
They look after our patients during their pregnancy and in
the immediate postnatal period.
TRAINING
In 1981 the Government made it compulsory for all doctors to undergo an apprenticeship comprising a three year post graduate training, including one year of GP experience in a training practice. We are an accredited training practice; all our registrars are qualified doctors who have undergone five years' medical school training, passing all the necessary exams. They are fully able to deal with all your problems. They are usually attached to the practice for one year.
