Meet the team
This page offers an insight to the VTS team, including our training practices and their profiles. Our GP Trainers have each provided a bio so you can learn a bit more about them before you join. Plus, previous or current GP Trainees have shared their training journey and for some, their experience working in Bedford.
Our Trainers
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Our Trainees
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Our practices
We are a group of GP practices covering the towns of Bedford and Kempston and the rural villages of north Bedfordshire. We are fortunate to be able to offer training in a variety of different practices both within Bedford Town and across more rural Bedfordshire. All of our trainees gain 18 months experience in General Practice across two different practices.
Over the next few years, the population in our area is predicted to grow by around four percent. Our older population is set to increase significantly by 2020. There is a significant and growing gap in life expectancy between the most affluent and most deprived areas is our locality. We are working with our partners to bridge this gap and reduce health inequalities.
A key part of our work is to make sure we involve local people and patients in all our decisions about healthcare and designing health services that affect them.
We are passionate about making a difference to the health of the people in our area.
Key local information
- Population: 176,100
- Local providers: Bedford Hospital, Luton and Dunstable Hospital, Milton Keynes Hospital, Northampton Hospital
- GP Lead: Dr Roshan Jayalath
Useful resources
- BLMK Staff facing website for training and upcoming initiatives - https://work-learn-live-blmk.co.uk/
- Bedfordshire public facing website - https://www.bedfordshireccg.nhs.uk/home/
Take a look at each Training Practice Profile below...
Trainer: Dr Kate Randall, Dr Simon Hughes & Dr Avanti Sulakshana
Website: www.bartongroupsurgeries.co.uk
Address: The Surgery, Hexton Road, Barton-le-Clay, Bedfordshire MK45 4TA
Profile: We are a semi-rural, dispensing, training practice in mid-Bedfordshire with 11,600 patients, a branch surgery and 5 Partners, and a member of Hillton Primary Care Network.
We are a dynamic, hard-working team always striving to offer the best services to our patients as well as providing a good working environment for our 30 employed staff. The Partners are very supportive of each other and are committed to making the Practice succeed as a well-respected medical practice .
As a training practice, we take trainees from both Bedford and Luton VTS schemes.
Dr Sulakshana is a Luton VTS Programme Director whilst a 4th Partner – Dr Chandra Gurram is currently training to be a Trainer. In addition we also host Student Nurse Placements from Bedford University.
Trainer: Dr Madhurika Acharya
Website: https://www.saffronhealthpartnership.nhs.uk/
Address: Biggleswade Health Centre, Saffron Road, Biggleswade, SG18 8DJ
Trainer: Dr Vidya Patil
Website: www.thedeparysgroup.co.uk
Address: De Parys Medical Centre, 23 De Parys Avenue, Bedford, MK40 2TX
Trainers: Dr Anne Turner
Website: www.flitwicksurgery.co.uk
Address: Flitwick Surgery, Highlands, Flitwick, Bedfordshire MK45 1DW
Trainers: Dr Peter Tatman & Dr Elizabeth Tatman
Associate Trainer: Dr Ravi Agarwal (due to become fully accredited Trainer)
Website: www.goldingtonavenuesurgery.co.uk
Address: Goldington Avenue Surgery, 85 Goldington Avenue, Bedford, MK40 3DB
Profile: Goldington Avenue Surgery is a forward-looking practice, providing core GP services to 10,750 patients. We are a partner led practice, with 7 GP partners and 1 managing partner, and provide our services from a converted Victorian property.
While we place strong value on providing an excellent ‘traditional GP service’ we are also forward looking and actively consider new ways of working, opportunities to bring additional services closer to patients, while retaining an excellent level of access – this practice is consistently ranked the ‘best GP practice in Bedford’ in the annual national patient survey.
As a training practice, we usually have two ST3 registrars placed with the practice, and also an ST2 or ST1. We also provide training for Year 6 students from the University of Cambridge.
Trainers: Dr Helen Smith & Dr Shaheena Sookun
Website: www.houghtonclosesurgery.co.uk
Address: Houghton Close Surgery, 1 Houghton Close, Ampthill, Bedfordshire, MK45 2TG
Profile: Houghton Close Surgery is a semi-rural, dispensing, GMS, training practice in mid-Bedfordshire with 11,000 patients and 7 partners.
We are a dynamic, hard-working team whose aim is to provide high quality patient centred care. The partnership is supportive and cohesive and we have a full complement of enthusiastic team members.
We provide a comprehensive range of medical services for our patients as well as meeting targets for the New Contract.
The surgery is an impressive purpose-built building constructed in 2002. It has full disabled access with a lift to the first floor.
The ground floor comprises of a waiting room with a new information TV screen, reception area and dispensary, 10 consulting rooms, a nursing suite including treatment, minor illness and phlebotomy room.
The upstairs comprises of a further 2 consulting rooms along with the administration area.
The practice has 3 GP trainers and currently supports 4 registrars through their ST3 year.
Trainers: Dr Vijay Nayar, Dr Toni Munno
Associate Trainer: Dr Annette Ochola, Dr Gina George
Website: www.kingstreetsurgery.co.uk
Address: 273 Bedford Road, Kempston, Bedford, MK42 8QD
Profile: King Street Surgery is a Training and Dispensing General Practice in Kempston, Bedford, with a patient list size of 12,400 patient, serving diverse urban and a rural communities. The clinical team consists of 6 GP Partners, 5 Salaried GPs, 5 nurses, and an HCA supported by a clinical pharmacist. King Street Surgery is also the largest member of the newly formed Caritas Medical Primary Care Network which has a combined patient list size of around 48,000.
Trainers: Dr John Kedward & Dr Jaison Mathew
Associate Trainers: Dr Naeem Choudhry, Dr Sadaf Javed
Website: www.londonroadsurgery.co.uk
Address: The Health Centre, 84-86 London Road, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 0NT
Trainers: Dr Emmanuel Ochola & Dr Bharat Mehta
Website: www.putnoemedicalcentre.co.uk
Address: Putnoe Medical Centre, 93 Queens Drive, Putnoe, Bedford, MK41 9JE
Trainers: Dr Sarah Griffith, Dr Michael Baxter, Dr Janani Dias
Website: www.sheffordhealthcentre.gpsurgery.net
Address: Shefford Health Centre, Robert Lucas Drive, Hitchin Road, Shefford, Bedfordshire, SG17 5FS