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Saturday 25th June was the Health Centre Open Day in celebration of its first anniversary. To mark the occasion I interviewed Dr Simon
Collins, lead GP of Iwade Health Centre. Here's what he said...
So it's the first anniversary of the Health Centre then - when exactly did it open?
Well we actually moved in on 14th June 2004 but it was opened officially on 16th September. It's a long way to come from a portacabin with 2 doctors and only 1 consulting room!
So what facilities do you now have then?
We've got 7 consulting rooms, 5 of which are downstairs and 2 upstairs. There's even a lift for those who need it. We currently have 4 doctors, 3 nurses and a healthcare assistant servicing about 4700 patients at the last count.
Are you still accepting new patients?
We are yes - although we have to allow for further development in Iwade so we are only currently accepting new patients in the area this side of the A249 up to the A2 if that makes sense! We do have a 'sister' practice, the Saffron Way Health Centre, Saffron Way, Milton Regis. Their number is 475882 so if you don't fall under our area it's worth giving them a call. I believe they are hoping to build a health centre similar to this one on the edge of Sonora Fields.
On a personal level where were you based before you joined this practice?
In Angola actually, working as a medical missionary, it was a somewhat different environment!
And on a completely different topic - the practice currently holds the Practice of the Year Award for 2004 - how did you achieve that - you must be proud?
We are proud yes, we are the only practice to have won it twice - we also won it in 2002. It's an award for West Kent and is based on patient satisfaction. We've got an excellent team here.
And what would you say the ethos of the practice is?
Well we aim to help patients' wellbeing as well as providing a traditional GP service that you'd expect, so we, in particular the nurses, provide well-man and well-woman checks as well as helping with smoking cessation and weight problems for example.
And who built the Health Centre?
Well Hillreed approached us when we were based in the portacabin and we obviously jumped at the chance to have a modern health centre like this one. And here we are!
And do you have any plans for the future?
We are hoping to become a training practice so I have just completed training to become a trainer. That would mean we would take on a registrar, effectively an apprentice to the practice. There is currently a shortage of GPs in Swale so we are hoping to help that situation by taking on GPs as trainees and then keeping them!
Well thank you very much for your time and Happy First Birthday!
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