The Blue Practice

The Doctors

Dr Andrew Martin is a graduate of Aberdeen University. Currently he is the administrative partner within the practice and works with the practice manager to ensure the smooth running of the practice, especially regarding the ready availability of doctors and nurses to our patients. Andrew is married with four sons.

Dr David G Mitchell graduated from Aberdeen University in 1981 and has been in practice in Crieff since completing his training, during which he had a special interest in surgery. He is a Member of the Royal College of General Practitioners and, together with Dr Alan Matthews, is responsible for the training of the registrar attached to the practice. His special interests include emergency care, minor surgery and diabetes. He holds a Diploma in Diabetic Management.

Dr Hamish Dougall, as well as being a doctor, is also a qualified pharmacist. He graduated in medicine from Aberdeen University in 1994 and worked in a number of medical specialities before moving into general practice. He is a Member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of General Practitioners. He also holds a Diploma in Family Planning. Specialist interests include immediate and intermediate care, cardiovascular and respiratory medicine and palliative care. He is married with three young children.

Dr Alan Matthews qualified from Dundee University in 1982 and was in general practice in Auchterarder for 14 years prior to joining this practice. He is a Member of the Royal College of General Practitioners. Together with Dr David Mitchell he is responsible for the training of the registrar. He is married with two sons and has a special interest in therapeutics and dermatology.

Dr Stuart Evans graduated from Queens University Belfast in 1997. Both he and his wife, also a doctor, came to Scotland when he became a registrar with the practice prior to becoming a partner in January 2003. Stuart is a Member of the Royal College of General Practitioners and holds Diplomas in Child Health and Obstetrics and Gynaecology. He has a special interest in respiratory diseases especially asthma and COPD and is also interested in palliative care. He is responsible for the immunisation programme within the practice and liaises closely with our practice nurses to ensure the smooth running of the 'flu clinic.

Dr Shona Sinclair graduated from University of Dundee in 1984 and was in general practice in Stanley for 10 years before joining the practice at Crieff. She has special interests in women’s medicine, family planning, and drug misuse and management and has post graduate qualifications in these subjects. She holds the Diploma from Faculty of Family Planning (DFFP), Diploma in Obstetrics and Gynaecology (DRCOG), RCGP Diploma in Drug Misuse and Management, Diploma in Asthma Management and Diploma in Diabetes Management. Shona also has an interest in acupuncture and homeopathy. She is married with six children and currently works six sessions per week at the practice.

Dr Claire Jones graduated from Aberdeen University in 2002 and worked in various hospital posts around Scotland, followed by some time in Bangladesh with an aid agency before coming to Crieff as a registrar prior to becoming a partner. Claire is a member of the Royal College of General Practitioners and holds a Diploma in Family Planning (including coil fitting). She has a special interest in emergency care, women’s health and family planning.

GP Specialist Trainees

As a training practice we have these working with us for a period of time. They are fully qualified doctors often with considerable experience in other areas of medicine who are completing general practice training.

Practice Staff

The practice staff comprises the following:

Practice Manager

The practice manager, Ann Massey, is responsible for the smooth running and efficiency of the Medical Centre, and may be able to help you with any administrative or non-medical aspects of your health care.

Administration

We currently employ four full-time and four part-time staff who cover all day to day operations ie reception desk, data input, secretarial, processing of repeat prescriptions and filing. They are there to assist you and the doctors.

They are all trained, confident and caring and are bound by the same rules of confidentiality as the doctors and nurses.

Counselling

The Blue Practice offers a counselling service for patients who might be experiencing difficulties with conditions such as relationships, stress, bereavement or depression. Appointments can be made through your doctor or by contacting reception on 01764 652283. A charge will be made for this service.

Practice Pharmacist

Kenny Halliday MSc BSc MRPharmS PgDip graduated from Strathclyde University in 1991 and completed his training at the London Chest Hospital. He worked in hospitals in the North of England and Fife before commencing his current post in Crieff in 2001. He holds a postgraduate diploma in clinical pharmacy and is a member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. His special interests are anticoagulant management and pain management. He currently works part-time with the Blue Practice two days a week. The practice pharmacist works closely with the doctors and healthcare staff to address all aspects of medicine management within the Practice. He can help answer medicine-related queries from members of the public.

NURSING SERVICES AND HOW TO CONTACT THEM

Practice Nurses

Katrina Cowie BA RGN SCM, Elspeth Burrows BN RGN, Tracy Henderson RGN

Katrina, Elspeth and Tracy are registered nurses who have specialist training in long-term health problems, thereby enabling patients to achieve a healthy lifestyle.

Their special interests include asthma, diabetes, heart disease prevention, women's health and men's health. Appointments for the practice nurses can be made at reception. The nurses work in close association with the doctors and can help and advise on immunisations, family planning, cervical smear tests, blood pressure checks, removal of sutures, diets and nutrition. They also hold clinics for asthma, diabetes, well woman, skin problems, holiday health and travel advice.

Health Care Assistants

Andrea Rimmer is highly trained in venepuncture, blood pressure monitoring, ECGs, urinalysis and carrying out new patient medicals. The treatment room staff are assisted by Karen Jack.
The treatment room is open Monday - Friday from 8.00am - 6.00pm.

The doctor may ask you to attend the nurse for dressings, removal of stitches, ear syringing, blood tests or vaccinations.

ATTACHED STAFF

Tayside Primary Care Trust employs district nurses and health visitors who work from within the medical centre.

Community Nurses

Irene Foster RGN SCM, Lesley Ford RGN, Anne Ferrier RNA, Lorraine Hunter RNA and Janice Donaldson Health Care Assistant.

The community nurses provide nursing care to those patients at home who are housebound and unable to attend the surgery.

They are highly trained and give nursing advice to the doctors and patients. They can be contacted directly by telephoning the Medical Centre on 01764 652257.

Public Health/Health Visitors

Pauline McOmish RGN PHN HV

Karen Aitken RGN

Pauline and Karen are registered nurses who have undergone extra training in public health and family health with particular emphasis on child development. Other services offered include:

• Healthy Lifestyle Clinics
• Smoking Cessation
• Support Groups (postnatal, infant massage)
• Young People Services (open access - advice on sexual health, weight, bullying, drugs etc)

Their direct telephone line within the Medical Centre is 01764 655535.

Community Midwives

Community midwives attend women before and after babies are born, either at home or in clinics and classes. They act as a link between the hospital midwifery service and our practice.

If you wish to contact a midwife about any problems please use the following numbers:

For URGENT matters please telephone 01738 473425. This is manned 24 hours a day and is the labour ward main line at Perth Royal Infirmary.

For NON-URGENT matters please telephone 01738 473406 and leave a message. This is an answering machine and the midwife will call you back.

If your baby has a FEEDING PROBLEM please telephone 01738 473436 and leave a message. This is manned 24 hours a day and is the Red Team postnatal ward at Perth Royal Infirmary.

Community Phlebotomist

Kate McGregor

MEDICAL EDUCATION

Our practice is fortunate in being approved to provide training in general practice for experienced doctors who wish to become general practitioners. There is usually at least one such specialist trainee working with us at any one time.

Medical students and nursing students attend the practice from time to time. We hope that you will co-operate with us and help the students learn about general practice. Rest assured you will be informed of their presence in advance, so if you do not want them to be present at the consultation, your wishes will be respected. This will not affect your treatment in any way.