Information for registrars, foundation year doctors and student nurses
We are a 5 partner practice Dr Michael Van Dessel, Dr Stephen Cox, Dr Susan Hyde and Dr Claire Clarke and Dr Fletcher joining in 1990, 1992, 1994, 2004 and 2019 respectively. We are all approved trainers with a strong commitment to undergraduate and postgraduate training. Dr Fletcher and Dr McAvoy oversee our FY2 placements and both our nurses are nurse mentors and welcome student nurses to our practice.
The practice is also an advanced training practice which oversees year 1, 2 and 3 student nurse placements across these St Helens, Knowsley and Halton boroughs in conjunction with HEE and our local universities.
In addition to all this we also run a successful apprentice patient care advisor programme which overseas training and ultimately job placements at the end of a successful NVQ in customer services.
The premises are modern and purpose built. They were formally opened in September 1994 by the then retired senior partner Dr Patrick Gregan. The history of the practice now goes back four generations. We have a generous sized waiting room, reception and office, suite of 10 consulting rooms and coffee room, separate staff and patient toilet facilities.
The practice serves a “mixed urban” population of 6000 plus patients giving clinicians a broad exposure to the spectrum of ailments seen in general practice, physical, mental and social.
The practice team is very friendly, loyal and dedicated. Practice organisation is to a high level with a team headed by our practice manager Debbie Backhouse.
We are “paperless” in the consultation and use EMIS WEB as our computer system. All clinical documents are scanned electronically on receipt and almost all lab information is received electronically. We use the Docman system to workflow and action our clinical post electronically. We use on line ordering during consultations for pathology tests.
Our primary healthcare team consists of 5 partners, 2 salaried doctors, 2 practice nurses, 1 advanced nurse practitioner, 1 GP assistant, 1 healthcare assistant, GPs in training (up to three at any given time), practice manager, secretaries, patient care advisor team, primary care pharmacist, district nursing team, midwife, health visitor and counsellor.
Open access endoscopy, echocardiography, MRI scanning and bone densitometry are available. Radiology and ultrasound can be booked on line with our local provider together with a report checking facility.
Our out of hours commitment, nights and weekends, is provided by St Helens Rota Ltd. The rota is a well run non commercial service which operates as a co-operative. Limited sessions are done with the trainer or approved doctor to gain out of hours experience and fulfil competency criteria.
We hold electronic registers for all the major chronic disease areas and have achieved well through audit in all the major illnesses managed in general practice. We are high achievers on the QOF score.
Our administration, quality and learning centre is based opposite the surgery at Gregan House, No1 Bates Crescent. This offers excellent accommodation for meetings, small group learning, audit, practice administration, tutorials and of course some decent refreshments!
Car parking is available on site. We are easily accessible by public transport. We are a few minutes walk from Thatto Heath train station and are situated on a main bus route, (including the 10A from Liverpool City Centre).