Practice Staff  The team at the surgery includes 5 full time GPs, 2 part time GPs, a Nurse Practitioner, 4 Practice nurses, a Health Care Assistant and Phlebotomists as well as our Practice Manager and a comprehensive team of administrative and dispensary staff.  In addition we also have a team of District Nurses and Health Visitors who work in the community on behalf of the Practice.

Practice Manager                                                                                                            Our Practice Manager, Andy Button, joined us in 1999 bringing 29 years previous NHS experience. He will be able to help you with any problems you may have with the way the practice is run and will welcome any constructive suggestions in writing to help us maintain and improve our services to you.

Our Nursing Team The team is led by Debbie Duncan, Nurse Practitioner. A Nurse Practitioner is a nurse who has an additional qualification and is trained to diagnose and prescribe. In addition to signing her own prescriptions, she can also order X-rays and blood tests as appropriate. Our highly qualified Practice Nurses are: Maggie Allum, Linda Barkus, Indira Thakrar and Julia Bourne.  The Nursing Team deals with a range of conditions and health concerns and are experts in many areas of disease management including asthma, diabetes and hypertension.

Working alongside the nurses we have a qualified Health Care Assistant (HCA), Tracie Johns, who performs many of our new patient health checks.  Included in her duties are taking blood, checking blood pressure, performing ECGs, hearing checks, weight monitoring and provision of lifestyle advice.

Our HCA and our Phlebotomists, Gay Mann, Tina Temple and Kath Collins hold clinics each morning for patients needing blood tests.

Dispensary Manager                                                                                                  Bonny Croker, the Dispensary Manager, and her team of qualified dispensers aim to ensure that your medication is dispensed in a correct and timely manner.  Details of how to order repeat medication can be found on the Prescriptions link.

Reception                                                                                                                          We have a very experienced team of Receptionists who will be able to help you with your enquiries.  Their job is frequently very demanding so please be patient with them.

Associated Healthcare Professionals                                                                    There are five District Nurses based at the Swallowfield surgery.  This team provides comprehensive nursing care to the housebound and offers support, advice and education to patients and their carers.  They also provide palliative care which, whenever possible, will help patients to remain at home if they wish. Our two Health Visitors are based at the new Shinfield Health Centre.  They are nurses who specialise in health promotion and the prevention of illness.  In particular, they give help, advice and support relating to the health of children and their families.

The Midwife holds ante-natal clinics and parent craft classes.  She visits you at home after you have had your baby.  She calls at the Swallowfield surgery regularly and works closely with the Doctors and Obstetric department at the Royal Berkshire Hospital.

The Dietician holds a clinic once a month at the Swallowfield surgery.  Referral is by your Doctor or a Practice Nurse.