Meet the Team

Doctors

Dr Amy Rowan

GP Partner

MBBS (Newcastle 2009) MRes MRCGP DRCOG

Dr Rowan joined the practice in 2015. Dr Rowan provides full general practice services, and has an interest in medical education.

Dr Hazel Dendle

GP Partner

MBBS (Newcastle 1994) MRCGP DRCOG DFFP

Dr Dendle has been with the practice since 2002. As well as providing full general practice services Dr Dendle has a special interest in sexual health. Dr Dendle is a GP trainer.

Dr Tom Rowley

GP Partner

MBChb (Glasgow) MRCGP

Dr Rowley joined the Practice as a Partner in 2017.

Dr Helen Farrar

GP Partner

MBBS (Newcastle 2011) DRCOG DFSRH

Dr Farrar joined the practice in 2023. She has an interest in Women’s Health and also medical education.

Dr Kate Thomas

Salaried GP

Dr Rosie Munden

Salaried GP

Dr Jenny Smith

Salaried GP

Dr Jessica Neilson

Salaried GP – Maternity Cover

Non-urgent advice:

GPs are medical doctors who oversee all aspects of patient care. As well as caring for patients directly, they support other members of the practice team to plan and deliver safe and effective care for patients.

Dr Anam Sajid

Trainee GP

Dr Jennifer Rodgers

Trainee GP

Non-urgent advice:

The Weardale Practice is an accredited GP training practice. This means that from time to time, in addition to our regular GPs, you may meet a junior doctor who is training to become a GP. Junior doctors are fully qualified doctors and will have already trained and worked in hospitals. You can expect them to provide the same range of full GP services.

Advanced Nurse Practitioners

Lisa Hope

Advanced Nurse Practitioner

Julie Davison

Advanced Nurse Practitioner

Non-urgent advice:

ANPs work alongside our doctors. ANPs have undertaken additional medical training and education to provide advanced nursing care and to prescribe medication. ANPs are training in the assessment and diagnosis of common medical conditions, can prescribed medications and issue fit notes once the patient has been assessed. ANP appointments are booked using the same method as that of our GPs.

Nursing Team

Rachael Gibson

Nurse Manager

I joined the practice in 2021 and have a special interest in the treatment and management of diabetes and spent 3 years as a Diabetes Specialist Nurse before returning to the practice.

Lynsay Wood

Nurse

Alison Rippon

Treatment Room Nurse

Non-urgent advice:

Nurses undertake a wide range of activities in general practice. They assess, screen and treat people of all ages including those with long-term conditions such as asthma, heart disease and diabetes who may need regular health checks. They also provide services such as immunisations and fit notes. Nursing Associates work under the guidance of a nurse or another healthcare professional. They help with routine health checks, wound care, and provide patients with general health and wellbeing advice.

Karen Nicholson

Healthcare Assistant

Diana Bell

Healthcare Assistant

Megan Pickering

Healthcare Assistant

Philippa Spence

Healthcare Assistant

Non-urgent advice:

Healthcare Assistants are important patient-facing staff that have both clinical and administrative responsibilities. HCAs may collect vital signs such as pulse, temperature, blood pressure and blood glucose levels. The HCA may also be asked to set up equipment, update patient health records and ensure that medical supplies are in stock.

Lisa Turnbull

Care Coordinator

Non-urgent advice:

Care Coordinators work with people who may need extra support to navigate the health and care system, helping to connect them to the right services or professionals at the right time. Care Coordinators act as a central point of contact to ensure support is available to help people manage their care.

Beth Freeman

 Trainee Nursing Associates

Pippa McMahon

 Trainee Nursing Associates

Non-urgent advice:

Nursing associates work with healthcare support workers and registered nurses to deliver care for patients.

Practice Team

Kati Makepeace

Strategic Practice Manager

I focus on all aspects of managing the practice and achieving our strategic goals. I work with the all colleagues to ensure compliance and governance is adhered to. I also focus on improving the efficiency of the practice. I have a long career in administration and operational management in private health-care.

Kate Stobbs

Assistant Practice Manager

I support Kati in managing the day-to-day running of the practice

Lorraine B

Admin Team Lead

Trish B

Admin\Receptionist

Lesley R

Admin\Receptionist

Sandra V

Admin\Receptionist

Melanie W

Admin\Receptionist

Catherine N

Admin\Receptionist

Sharon W

Admin\Receptionist

Emily H

Admin\Receptionist

Lynne R

Admin\Receptionist

Julie S

Admin\Receptionist

Non-urgent advice:

The Admin Team have been trained in Care Navigation to direct patients to the right healthcare professional. When a patient calls to book and appointment, the admin team will ask some questions to either book an appointment internally to the most appropriate clinician or they will sign-post patients to external healthcare professionals. The admin team answer hundreds of calls per week, booking appointments or answering queries. They also check patients in at reception, process online queries, manage the practice email account, scan hard-copy incoming letters to the patient record for further processing, process online prescription requests, process medical report requests, register new patients, deduct patients when they move to another practice, open the building each morning, make sure clinicians know which room they are working in each day and much, much more.

Julie A

Senior Administrator & Clinical Rota Lead

Jess R

Clinical & Data Quality Administrator

Michelle T

Medical Secretary

Debbie M

Medical Secretary

Non-urgent advice:

Medical Secretaries manage and process the practice referrals and letters.

First Contact Physiotherapists

Aimee Carr

First Contact Physiotherapist

Ryan Adams

First Contact Physiotherapist

Non-urgent advice:

Physiotherapists in general practice are experts in musculoskeletal conditions. They are able to assess, diagnose and treat a range of complex muscle and joint conditions, reducing the likelihood of needing a referral to a hospital team. They can also arrange access to further treatment, investigations and specialists when needed.

Domestic Cleaners

Karen H

Domestic Cleaner

Wendy H

Domestic Cleaner

Mental Health team

Aimee Hodgson

Mental Health Professional

Rachel Kirton

Mental Health Professional

Non-urgent advice:

Mental health professionals in general practice use a range of methods to help people with mental health conditions. These range from talking therapies for common conditions such as stress, anxiety and depression and support for people with more complex needs such as bipolar, psychosis and eating disorders.

Health and Wellbeing Team

April Maddison

Health & Wellbeing Coach

Adam Barrett

Health & Wellbeing Coach

Non-urgent advice:

Health and wellbeing coaches help people manage their own health conditions by developing their knowledge, skills, and confidence in dealing with the issue to prevent long-term illness or it getting worse.

Pharmacy Staff

Sophie Watkinson

Clinical Pharmacist

Grace Beaumont

Clinical Pharmacist

Keavney Darby

Clinical Pharmacist

Kim Nilsson-Elmenmyr

Clinical Pharmacist

Paige Reeves

Clinical Pharmacist

Lindsay Scott

Clinical Pharmacist

Matthias Wee

Clinical Pharmacist

Non-urgent advice:

Clinical pharmacists are experts in medicines who help patients stay as well as possible by supporting those with long-term conditions, such as asthma, diabetes and high blood pressure and people taking multiple medicines, to make sure their medication is working.

Rachel Hanby

Pharmacy Technician

Laura Welsh

Pharmacy Technician

Non-urgent advice:

Pharmacy Technicians play an important role within general practice by supporting the work of Clinical Pharmacists. They can update medication records and offer people advice on how to get the most out of their medicines.

Rachel Harrison

Social Prescriber

Non-urgent advice:

Social prescribing link workers help patients manage their social, emotional and physical wellbeing by connecting them to local groups and services that can offer practical and emotional. These include volunteering opportunities, physical activities and even debt and housing advice.