GPwSI Testimonials
Nadim Niman, GPwSI, Dermatology
Nadim first heard about Communitas when he was living and working in Bournemouth searching out opportunities to develop his special interest in dermatology. He says of his initial experience “All new GPwSI do supervised clinics with a consultant; as many as they need – it might be one, it might be five depending on the individual needs of the GPSI. Once I felt comfortable and the consultant signed me off then I began working independently.
“I’ve been supported well within Communitas. They’re developing new GPwSIs so they’re doing their bit to meet demand. I wanted to do extra minor surgery courses, which they’ve been very supportive with.
“I would definitely recommend Communitas to other GPs. It’s a good service, the patients I see like it. Some people come in with a lesion and they get the lesion taking out that day. The waiting list is good, less than 4 weeks; patient satisfaction is very high.”
Jyoti Sood, GPwSI, Dermatology
Jyoti has been with Communitas Clinics for 4 years, after joining the team following a recommendation from a friend. She was already a specialist in dermatology before she joined the team, but hadn’t had any experience of surgery.
Communitas has supported Jyoti through training in order to equip her with the necessary skills to carry out minor surgeries in her clinics. “I could say when I was ready to do the training and when I felt competent – I was in charge of the green light – so they made sure I was fully confident in delivering procedures and gave me extra support, even after I was qualified.”
Jyoti says “I was expecting it to be like any other company and it isn’t. The whole team is focussed on clinical outcomes, support is ongoing and they don’t ignore any cogs within the machine, so you never feel like you have to turn the wheel by yourself. My first clinic was a breath of fresh air, the atmosphere is so supportive I am able to focus on my specialism; treating patients with dermatology issues.
“Communitas offers all the opportunities you need to maintain your CPD. They have various methods – Clinical Governance meetings, early appraisals, joint clinics, clinics with consultants. There’s a great team approach within the company, and if you [clinicians] have feedback or suggestions as to how the service can be improved the management team are responsive and listen to suggestions. We also have excellent back up from the administrative team, and patients give excellent feedback about the service.
“I’ve already recommended Communitas to other GPs as a great place to work!”
Despoina Stylidou, Practice Pharmacist at Royal Arsenal Medical Centre
”I am a practice based pharmacist and an independent prescriber and my scope of practice is dermatology. Attending the educational event organised by communitas clinics I had the opportunity to listen to experienced dermatologists who shared their knowledge on how to have a structured approach when dealing with common dermatological conditions in primary healthcare.
I found this experience unique and very insightful and I will definitely use the knowledge I gained in my consultations. Thank you for the experience and for sharing the learning material.”
Roberto Tamsanguan, GP in the North East London ICB
“Communitas Clinics community ENT service has provided me with a much needed resource to refer patients for a quick assessment to determine whether secondary care treatment is required. The service is also able to treat patients for low acuity conditions far quicker than previously possible with good outcomes. I have found their team to be open and transparent, helpful and with a solutions focussed approach. I look forward to continuing to work with their clinical teams to improve pathways further and put in place a sustainable community ENT service for the long term.”
Dr Asad Ashraf, GP in the North East London ICB
“The ENT service provided by Communitas Clinics in TNW has reduced waiting times for my patients whilst providing good quality of patient care. The service was put in place in collaboration with GPs and the primary care team. GP engagement, outcomes for my patients and overall patient satisfaction are all good. I understand that the Communitas team works well with colleagues from Barts Health which speaks to a desire from all parties to build on the work carried out to date.”