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Meet the Team

Guide to Primary Care

Modern general practice is delivered by a mixed portfolio of healthcare professionals supporting the doctors. With the development of Primary Care Networks, the team will further expand to clinicians such as Mental health Practitioners and Physiotherapists in the future.

Here's a guide to the type of clinicians you might encounter at Sandringham Medical Centre. 

GP Partners

Dr Jude Mahadanaarachchi is also a partner in the practice. This means they are owners of the business that is contracted to provide General Medical Services under contract to the NHS. As well as seeing patients the Partners have to make time to look after the management and administration of the practice. 

Advanced Nurse Practitioners (ANP)

On occasions, Sandringham Medical Centre has Advanced Nurse Practitioners undertaking surgery sessions.

Advanced Nurse Practitioners are Registered Nurses who have done extra training and academic qualifications to be able to examine, assess, make diagnoses, treat, prescribe, and make referrals for patients.

Physicians Associate

Physician Associates (PAs) are healthcare professionals with a generalist medical education who work alongside doctors providing medical care as an integral part of the multidisciplinary team. PAs are not doctors, and are not a substitute for doctors, but are trained to work within a defined scope of practice and limits of competence to perform the following duties:

  • taking medical histories from patients
  • carrying out physical examinations
  • seeing patients with undifferentiated diagnoses, under supervision
  • seeing patients with long-term chronic conditions
  • formulating differential diagnoses and management plans
  • carrying out diagnostic and therapeutic procedures
  • developing and delivering appropriate treatment and management plans
  • requesting and interpreting diagnostic studies
  • providing health promotion and disease prevention advice for patients.

Practice Nurses

General Practice Nurses are a vital part of our primary healthcare team.  Our practice nurses will be involved in almost every aspect of patient care and treatment, undertaking such tasks as:

  • Helping people manage long term conditions such as diabetes, asthma and COPD
  • Monitoring patients on certain medications
  • Health screening
  • Family planning
  • Running vaccination programmes
  • Taking cervical smears
  • Administering child immunisations

The role allows nurses to develop long term relationships with individuals and families, managing their conditions and improving physical and mental health and wellbeing.

Watch a short video produced by NHS called 'A Day in The Life of a Practice Nurse'

Health Care Assistants (HCA)

The role of HCA is evolving in the NHS workforce, but they have long been a central part of the healthcare team at Sandringham Medical Centre. Supplementing and supporting the work of the Practice Nurses they carry out a wide range of tasks which includes.

  • Phlebotomy
  • Diagnostic tests such as ECG
  • Administering some vaccinations and immunisations
  • Conducting reviews with people with long term conditions such as diabetes
  • Health reviews and the provision of lifestyle advice

Watch a short video produced by the NHS called 'A Day in The Life of a Health Care Assistant'

Care Co-Ordinator 

The role of a Care Coordinator in General Practice within the NHS in England is a recent addition aimed at addressing the increasing complexity of managing healthcare and improving patient outcomes.

Social Prescriber  

The role of a Social Prescriber in a GP practice within the NHS in England is a critical and innovative position aimed at addressing the wider determinants of health and promoting holistic well being for patients.

Mental Health Practitioner 

The Mental Health Practitioner role in GP practices is a new and crucial addition aimed at enhancing mental health services within primary care settings. This role addresses the increasing demand for mental health support and complements the existing multidisciplinary team.


Our Team