Specialist nurses join GPs’ practice

Frome Medical Practice has announced the appointment of two new specialist nurses who have now joined their team.

Lisa Cole trained in Bristol, qualifying as an RGN in 2005 having taken a nursing degree. Lisa has spent all of her nursing career working in the West Country and six years ago started to work in primary care. She has joined the practice in order to work with chronic disease management.

“This has always been something that I have wanted to do,” says Lisa. “I aim to be able to provide a chronic disease ‘one stop’ service for patients, making care easier and more consistent for the patient. At present I am working with patients with respiratory problems including COPD and asthma, but this role could expand.

‘I have to say that all of the other clinicians and support staff here have made me feel very welcome and have been extremely supportive in every way. I know that this is a sentiment shared by my colleague Sarah.”

Joining Lisa as part of the new specialist team is Sarah Wescombe, a palliative care nurse practitioner. Like her colleague Lisa, Sarah is also a highly experienced RGN. Sarah has also spent most of her professional life working in Somerset and the West Country and before joining the Frome Medical Practice in her current role, was a district nurse working within and around Frome.

“From my previous job I am already known to some of my patients,” says Sarah. “This new role is very challenging but it has some fantastic positives. The patients that I see are all either in their own homes or a care home. Many of my patients may well be learning to cope with a chronic disease at end of life, but we ensure that every day all patients nevertheless get the very most out of their lives. I feel in a very privileged position.”

Dr Tom Cahill, a partner at the practice said, “We are delighted that we have managed to recruit two such experienced health professionals, both specialists in their own field of dealing with chronic disease.

“These are two roles that we are anxious to expand and develop as we look to improving and enhancing the level of care for our patients with chronic disease. My partners and I wish both Lisa and Sarah a long and very rewarding career at the Frome Medical Practice.”