Staff

Receptionists and Secretaries
The surgery Receptionists are your first point of contact with us; they have a very difficult job to do, often dealing with people who are unwell and upset, trying to balance the demand for appointments and other services with the finite resources available, answering the telephones, etc.

We expect them to try their best to be helpful, efficient and polite at all times, but patients may sometimes feel that the Receptionists are being unhelpful. Please speak to the Practice Manager if you feel unhappy about the way in which your request for an appointment or prescription etc has been handled.

Please do not be rude or threatening to the Receptionists, in any circumstances. As is the case throughout the NHS, the Practice has a "zero tolerance" policy towards abusive and threatening behaviour or violence; we always report such incidents to the Police and patients who behave improperly may be banned from the surgery.
 
      
Nurse Practitioners
Our Nurse Practitioner is Mary Gibbons, who is an experienced Nurse and has undertaken extensive further education and training, including a University Degree. She has the necessary skills to carry out most of the work usually done by Doctors.

A Nurse Practitioner can:

• Assess, diagnose and treat most common medical conditions
• Request the appropriate blood tests, X-rays etc
• Decide what medication is most suitable to treat your problem
• Refer you for a Doctor's opinion (in the surgery) or to a Specialist, if required
• Follow up your treatment and progress

Practice Nurse and Health Care Assistant (HCA)
Our Practice Nurses are Janine Day and Debbie Hobdell and our HCA is Fiona Conway. All new patients are required to see one of them as soon as possible after joining the Practice, to ensure that they are up to date with their vaccinations, cervical smears etc, and to collect as much information as possible while we wait for the medical records to arrive from the previous surgery. The Practice Nurse runs clinics for Influenza vaccination starting every October, and throughout the year they provide travel advice for patients going abroad, and vaccinations such as Typhoid, Hepatitis and Tetanus.

They also hold a number of specialised clinics for patients with diabetes, asthma, leg ulcers and certain other chronic conditions, as well as Stop Smoking clinics.

      
Health Visitor
Mrs May Man is our Health Visitor and is based at the main surgery premises in Welling but also regularly works at the Pickford Surgery. She is mainly responsible for expectant mothers and monitoring the development of children under five (Child Health Surveillance); she runs the parent-craft classes and the baby clinic.  She is also available for advice on health matters generally, including diet and cigarette smoking. 

Mrs Man may be contacted personally at the Westwood Surgery:
telephone (020) 8303-0703 (answerphone).
 
      
Community Midwife

Our Community Midwife looks after women throughout their pregnancy and for the first week or so after delivery, routinely visiting mother and baby at home. She holds an antenatal clinic at the surgery every week where she monitors the baby's growth and the health of the mother, looking out for problems such as high blood pressure and diabetes.

District Nurses
Sister Sue Noctor leads a team of experienced District Nurses and Assistants mainly visiting housebound patients who require nursing care. They assess and manage leg ulcers and bed sores, perform blood tests and other investigations, supervise and assist with urinary catheters, injections and so on.
 
      
Practice Manager
Our Practice Manager is Caroline Ogunsola and she is based at the main surgery premises, the Westwood Surgery, in Welling; she is in charge of the day-to-day running of both surgeries and all the associated administration. Her responsibilites include the buildings, furnishings, computer system, training staff and financial matters.

If you have any cause for complaint about the service that we provide, or suggestions for improvements, please contact Caroline in the first instance, either in writing or by telephoning her at the Westwood Surgery on (020) 8303-5353