the team | gp partners

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	Dr. M.G. Cripps M.B., B.S., F.R.C.G.P., D.C.H., D.G.M., D.F.F.P., D.R.C.O.G., Dip.Med.Ac. Dr Matthew Cripps is the senior partner of the practice and has worked as a GP in Sturminster Newton and Marnhull since 1988. He trained at University College London and Westminster Hospital Medical School qualifying in 1983. He completed his general practice vocational training in Brighton, Worthing and Eastbourne. He provides a local referral service for Acupuncture at the practice and is a member of BMAS. Dr Cripps has been a medical student trainer since 1989 & is a Tutor for Royal Free/UCL Medical School. He has been a GP Registrar Trainer since 1996 and convenes the North Dorset Trainer Group. He also works as an appraiser for other GPs. Dr Cripps has extra qualifications in child health, family planning, obstetrics and gynaecology, geriatric medicine, and general practice. He is a dedicated GP who brings much wisdom and skill to the practice. He is married to Dr Joanna Robinson and his Labrador Zannah. His interests include rugby, skiing, running, wine, shooting, music, history, theatre and art.
	Dr. E.C. Burton M.B., Ch.B. Dr Liz Burton was born and brought up in the West Midlands and qualified as a doctor in 1979 at Liverpool University. She then worked in hospital medicine and general practice in the Wirral before moving to Dorset in 1991. After nearly 20 years working at Sturminster Newton she no longer considers herself a grockle! She enjoys all aspects of general practice particularly the day to day involvement with patients. She is married to John a photographer (www.wessexweddings.co.uk) and has 2 children. Her eldest son currently lives in Santiago de Compostela, Spain teaching English whilst her younger son has completed a degree in neuroscience at Nottingham University. He subsequently obtained a Masters and is now part way through completing his PhD. Her outside interests include travelling, especially experiencing other cultures, trekking, wildlife, music (particularly the music of East Clare, Ireland) and dabbling in photography.
	Dr. J.H.R. Edwards M.B., B.S., M.R.C.G.P., D.F.F.P., D.R.C.O.G. Dr Jim Edwards qualified at the London Hospital in 1987. He completed his Training in General Practice in York, following posts in Leeds, Harrogate and Middlesborough. After a year working at Auckland Childrens Hospital in New Zealand , he joined the Sturminster Practice in 1994. He is married with two children and enjoys Cricket, Golf, Tennis, sailing as well as the garden. Dr Edwards is a full time G.P, and is a G.P trainer, medical school tutor for Barts and the London Medical Schools. He also works as a G.P appraiser within North Dorset and is a representative on the Wessex Local Medical Committee. In 2002 he obtained the RCGP certificate in working with Drug users and addiction.
	Dr. J.P.J. Robinson M.B., B.S., M.R.C.G.P., D.C.H., D.F.F.P., D.R.C.O.G. Dr Joanna Robinson has worked in the practice since 1995. She qualified from Charing Cross Medical School in 1983 and completed her general practice vocational training in 1987 in Eastbourne, East Sussex. She met her husband, Dr Matthew Cripps, at a job interview and they married in 1984. They have three teenage sons and live in Stalbridge. Dr Robinson is qualified as a GP trainer and Appraiser. She works both in Sturminster and Marnhull surgeries and is enthusiastic about general practice. She regards being a GP as a great privilege, works hard to do her best for her patients and has a lively sense of humour. Her non work interests include: tennis, skiing, running, music, theatre, history and art.

the team | gp retainer
	Dr. B. Greenup M.B., B.A.O., B.Ch., M.R.C.G.P. Dr Brigid Greenup joined us at the practice as in July 2007, and is now employed as a GP Retainer. She qualified from Trinity College Dublin in 1986 and did her GP training in Weymouth. She worked as a GP in Weymouth for 15 years following a break during which she worked for the Contraceptive Service. Dr Greenup is enjoying her return to General Practice, she is married with two teenage children and has a Westie called Monty.
the team | gp registrar
	Dr. J. Rippin BSc., BMed. Sci., B.M. B.S., MSc., PhD., M.R.C.G.P. Dr Rippin shall be working at the practice for one year as GP Registrar. Prior to training to become a doctor, he worked as a Clinical Biochemist in Hospital Medical Laboratories in London, doing both routine and research work. During this time he studied for a PhD in Immunology at Charing Cross and Westiminster Medical School. After qualifying to be a Doctor at Nottingham Medical School he spent several years in Adult Hospital Medicine before training in General Practice. He is married with three children.

qualifications explained

M.B., B.S. and M.B., Ch.B. are the qualifying exams of doctors nominally as bachelors of medicine and surgery but also covering obstetrics, gynaecology, therapeutics, pathology and a range of other subjects.

M.R.C.G.P. is Membership of the Royal College of General Practitioners and is an exam taken at the end of the period of postgraduate vocational training in general practice (a minimum of two years in hospital jobs and one year in general practice as a registrar after the initial year of house jobs).

F.R.C.G.P. is Fellowship of the R.C.G.P. and is awarded either in recognition of particular contribution to General Practice (for example in teaching or research) or by assessment (as in the case of Dr Cripps). Fellowship by Assessment has been awarded to approximately 200 out of 35,000 UK family doctors and is the only peer reviewed higher qualification in the world that measures both clinical practice and practice organisation. It is a thorough and exhaustive procedure involving measurement and inspection of the practice as a whole.

D.C.H. is the Diploma of Child Health

D.G.M. is the Diploma of Geriatric Health

D.F.F.P. is the Diploma of the Faculty of Family Planning

D.R.C.O.G. is the Diploma of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

Dip. Med. Ac. Is the Diploma in Medical Acupuncture of the British Medical Acupuncture Society

practice nursing team

Our District Nurses, Practice Nurses, Health Visitors and Physicians Assistants/Health Care Assistants work together as a team to deliver nursing care both in the surgery and in patients’ homes.

Our nurses are available by appointment for advice, nursing care and the following: blood pressure, asthma, diabetes, epilepsy and general health checks, dietary advice, tetanus, childhood, adult and holiday vaccinations, ear syringing, stitch removal, cervical smears and contraceptive advice. They also run Smokestop and Look After Yourself groups.

For those unable to attend the surgeries for medical reasons the team provides nursing care in the home.

The Physicians Assistants (PAs) and Health Care Assistants take blood, perform E.C.G.s (electrical traces of the heart), check blood pressures and are involved in some other procedures, checks and health promotion activities.

other members of the team

We work in conjunction with the health visitors, community nurses, midwives and psychiatric nurses based in the Sturminster surgery.

• The health visitors monitor children’s’ growth and development, give advice on normal development and illness prevention. They also run groups that focus on parenting skills and the menopause.
• Community nurses provide the nursing skills needed in people’s homes.
• A counsellor, a dietician, a physiotherapist, a speech therapist, an audiologist (who tests older people’s hearing and, where appropriate, provides a hearing aid) and a dietician are available at the Sturminster surgery after referral from your doctor.
• A chiropodist is available for patients with foot problems who are over 70 or have diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis or blood vessel disorders.
• CAB: a Citizens Advice Bureau advisor is available by appointment in the Sturminster surgery to help with benefit, financial, legal or other problems.

Our receptionists, clerical and management staff is here to help you and give you as much information as they can.