THE DOCTORS

Dr John Sharvill	MB BS (London 1979)	MRCGP DCH DRCOG DIMC Dip Occ Med Dip Derm
Dr Ian Sparrow	MB BS (London 1985)	MRCGP DCH DRCOG
Dr Mark Viney	MB BS (London 1989)	AKC MRCGP DRCOG
Dr Frank Hoffmann	MD (Hamburg 1991)	DRCOG
Dr Arvind Singh	MB BS (India 1978)	MD MRCP (UK)
Dr Tracey Eastbrook	MB BS (London 1996)	BSc DCH DRCOG MRCGP
Dr C Mah	MD (UKM 1996)	MRCOG

The partnership has been based at this address since 1983, having been a long-established practice in the town founded by Dr Farrer and Dr Calder. All the partners also work at Deal Hospital and the practice has a full complement of employed and attached staff. This website is aimed at letting you know what services are available on the NHS. The doctors also provide non-NHS services, such as HGV and insurance medicals for which fees are payable.

THE PRACTICE TEAM

PRACTICE NURSES

Mrs M Halpin	RGN
Mrs J Minnock	RGN
Ms C Clark	RGN
Mrs E Skinner	RGN
Mrs P Zimdahl	RGN
Mrs M Latteur	RGN

We usually have five nurses employed by the practice and there is one on duty whenever the building is open. We are fortunate at the moment as we also have two permanently employed nurses who work flexible hours for us to cover holidays and sickness. As well as providing normal nursing duties they run the diabetic clinic, asthma clinic, healthy heart clinic, weight management clinic, perform immunisations and cervical smears and provide advice on health, relating to travel abroad. The nurses also have their own appointment system at reception.

HEALTH CARE ASSISTANTS

Mrs J Curry	HCA and Smoking Cessation Adviser
Mrs C Lee	HCA
Mrs A Maslak	HCA and Smoking Cessation Adviser
Mrs G Roden	HCA
Mrs S Cowie	Smoking Cessation Adviser

Our health care assistants are well trained, having undergone both in-house and external training. Three of them have been awarded the Accredited Certificate for Health Care Assistants.

HEALTH VISITORS

The health visitors attached to the practice deal mainly with the health and development of young children including immunisation. They run child development clinics in conjunction with the doctors. For further information contact the surgery or the Community Health Clinic at Deal Hospital. The health visitor can be contacted on (01304) 865443.

COMMUNITY MIDWIFE

The community midwife runs parentcraft and relaxation classes and holds antenatal clinics in conjunction with the doctors. When newly pregnant you will see the midwife for a "booking" appointment where your choices for delivery will be discussed with you. The midwife can be contacted through the surgery, Deal Hospital or Buckland Hospital Birthing Centre.

ANTENATAL POLICY

Balmoral Surgery provides comprehensive antenatal care which is midwife-led. Women are normally seen by their doctor at booking and advised re normal antenatal care including the importance of patient choice. General health advice concerning antenatal care is usually given at this point. The doctors offer further antenatal follow up, again at the choice of the woman during pregnancy.

The Deal Midwives Group is a very proactive woman-centred service who will provide more information as and when needed. Should a woman prefer to have totally doctor-centred care, this is also available. Should they choose totally midwife-centred care, this is also their choice.

Antenatal screening with the risks and benefits entailed is led by the midwife group, who have quick access to consultant and diagnostic tests.

DISTRICT NURSES

Our district nurses provide home care for the elderly, chronically sick or disabled patients. They also look after patients recovering from operations. They can be contacted through reception at the surgery, and also via Deal Hospital.

COMMUNITY PSYCHIATRIC NURSES

The psychiatric nurses work in close association with the doctors to help people who are emotionally distressed.

COUNSELLING SERVICE

The practice now has a visiting counsellor for five sessions a week. Referrals to the counsellor can be made by the doctors. Some of these sessions are held at the Cedars Surgery due to lack of space in our building. Self-referrals can be made to Dover Counselling Service (Contact Telephone No: 01304 204123).

MEDICAL STAFF UNDERGOING FURTHER TRAINING

There is usually a doctor and sometimes a nurse, working here as part of their post graduate training. The practice is inspected to make sure that it reaches a satisfactory standard for training. This includes checking on medical records. If you do not wish yours to be included please inform your doctor.

As part of the post graduate training, the doctors sometimes work together, and sometimes there will be a video recorder in operation during consultations. All tapes are only for the doctors' use and are disposed of afterwards. If the receptionist informs you that a video is in operation please do not hesitate to say "no" if you would rather it was not there.