Practice Manager

Kate Francis

BSc (Hons) in Social Policy 1981. Diploma in Health Service Management 1984.

Kate Francis has extensive experience in health care management in primary care and has also worked in secondary care and as an advisor at a national level. She also has experience in hospital and primary care premises commissioning. She worked part time, as an Advisor to the Department of Health between 2009 and 2011. She is a director on the board of the local Primary Care federation for Bristol North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, One Care. She is an advisor for NICE.

Having worked in different parts of the NHS, she is committed to primary care as the most exciting, dynamic and progressive part of the NHS and feels this is where she can have most influence on patient care. She especially likes to work closely with front line clinicians, which she enjoys. She sees her role as a strategic practice manager and as working with the partners to develop the practice and to provide high quality services to patients. Taking a keen interest in the “wider picture” Kate likes to work across organisational boundaries. She particularly focusses on quality improvement and change using research techniques and the experience she has developed working with NICE.

Management Team

Kate Francis, Practice Manager, works with the GP Partners to manage the practice. She leads the management team. This team provides management support to the wider practice team. This includes looking after the building, regulation, human resources, strategic and operational management. Jill Smith is the Assistant Practice Manger, Miffy Saunders is Human Resources Manager, Julia Coxwell is Finances Manager.

Care Navigators

Helen Hynam is the team lead. The role of a Care Navigator is much more than a receptionist role. The team are trained to be able to help direct patients to the best service within the practice. This is why they ask for details when patients call in. The more information you can give them the more likely they are to ensure that you get the right help at the right time. We understand that it may feel uncomfortable at times discussing concerns and symptoms, but the team are trained to deal with enquiries and understand the need for complete confidentiality.

Administration Team

Led by Kate Brown. The team manage clinical administration, the practice IT and the day-to-day administrative work of the practice.

Practice Board

The board members are the GP partners and the Practice Manager.