Our Staff

Partner

Dr Amy Rowan

MBBS (Newcastle 2009) MRes MRCGP DRCOG

I joined the Practice in 2015. I have an interest in medical education, and provide a full range of general practice services. I became a Partner at the Weardale Practice in January 2017.

Dr Ben Rowley

MBBS (Newcastle 2008) MRCGP (2013) DRCOG

I've been with the Weardale Practice since 2014. In addition to the full range of general practice care, I'm the main provider of medical supervision to Weardale Community Hospital. I am also a trainer for GP Registrars.

Dr Hazel Dendle

MBBS (Newcastle 1994) MRCGP DRCOG DFFP

I have been with the Practice since 2002. As well as providing all general practice services, I have a special interest in Women's health, sexual health and contraception. I'm also a GP trainer.

Dr Matthew Hackett

MBBS (London 1988) MRCGP DRCOG DCCH

I've been with the Practice since 1997. I offer a full range of General Practice care, Practice Lead for Diabetes and GP Cancer Lead for Co. Durham Clinical Commissioning Group.

Dr Tom Rowley

MBChb (Glasgow) MRCGP

I joined the Practice as a Partner in 2017. I offer a full range of general practice care.

Doctors

General practitioners (GPs) treat all common medical conditions and refer patients to hospitals and other medical services for urgent and specialist treatment. They focus on the health of the whole person combining physical, psychological and social aspects of care.

Dr Orla Whitehead

I'm a salaried GP, with interests in mental illness including dementia, paediatrics and care of the elderly. I also work at Newcastle University as an academic, where I research spiritual health.

Dr Aman Chera

Trainee GPs

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.

Dr Katie Leitch

Dr Liz Bale

Nanda Aung

Emergency Care Practitioners (ECPs)

ECPs work in the GP team to diagnose and treat a range of conditions, as well as prescribing medication.

Julie Huntrods

Julie is an experienced Advanced Nurse Practitioner and is here to help deal with all urgent (acute) requests working alongside Mark Dillon, Julie Price and our GP Team.

Karen Stanwix

Nurses

Practice nurses are qualified registered nurses. They help with health issues such as family planning, healthy living advice, blood pressure checks and dressings. The Practice nurses run clinics for long-term health conditions such as asthma or diabetes, minor ailment clinics and carry out cervical smears.

Lynsay Clarke

Rachael Gibson

Trainee Nursing Associates

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

Beth Freeman

Phillipa Graham

Healthcare Assistants

Healthcare assistants support Practice nurses with their daily work and carry out tasks such as phlebotomy (drawing blood), blood pressure measurement and new patient checks. They may act as a chaperone when a patient or doctor requests one.

Karen Nicholson

I mostly work at the Health Centre in Stanhope. As a Healthcare Assistant, I do blood tests, ECG (heart monitoring tests) and health checks for patients.

Diana Bell

I'm mainly based in the Stanhope Health Centre, but sometimes work in Wolsingham and St John's Chapel. I look after patients who need blood tests, ECG (heart monitoring tests) and health checks.

Megan Pickering

Audray S

Audray joined our team in March 2020 and is an experienced clinical coder as well as working part of the week as a health care assistant in our nursing team.

Pharmacists

Pharmacists make a difference to the lives of our patients through an expert knowledge of medicines and health.  Helping people live longer and healthier lives depends on the safe use of medicines and excellent healthcare advice. Pharmacists' unique expertise and knowledge makes them essential members of our practice healthcare team.

Kate Waistell

Clinical Pharmacist

I joined the Practice in April of 2019, having previously worked in community pharmacies across the North East. I studied at the University of Sunderland, and hope to specialise in psychiatric medicine or women's health. I'll be doing medication reviews and clinics with patients, as well as prescribing medicine.

Thomas Watkinson

Clinical Pharmacist

As well as prescribing medication, I hold medication reviews with patients, and do in person and over the phone clinics.

Gemma Williamson

I started at the Practice in 2019. I am a member of the Pharmacist team. I work to help with medication queries as well as conducting some medication reviews with patients.

Sophie Watkinson

Practice Management

Kati Makepeace

I manage the business aspect of the surgery, making sure that patients are at the centre of everything we do.

Administration/Reception

Trish B

I'm part of the Administration support team.

Lorraine B

I'm the Team Lead for the Administration Staff.

Glenis M

I work in the Administration support team at the Weardale Practice.

Lesley R

I'm a Receptionist in the Administration support team.

Sandra V

I'm one of the Administration support staff.

Melanie W

I'm part of the Practice's Administration support team.

Sophie W

Annabel G

Duncan R

Senior Administrators

Julie A

I manage the branch surgeries in Wolsingham and St John’s Chapel.

Medical Secretaries

Debbie M

Michelle T

I work as a medical secretary for the practice. I manage and process the practice referrals and letters.

Care Coordinator

Lisa Turnbull

First Contact Physiotherapist

They can help patients with musculoskeletal issues such as back, neck and joint pain by: assessing and diagnosing issues; giving expert advice on how best to manage their conditions; referring them onto specialist services if necessary.

Health & Wellbeing Coach

Adam Barrett

Social Prescriber

Social prescribing link workers connect people with local community activities and services that can help improve their health and wellbeing.