A newly named medical group has appointed an additional GP to help increase healthcare provision for patients in County Durham.
Dr Mirza Hassan has joined ‘The Villages Medical Group’ following the merger of Gardiner Crescent Surgery, Pelton Fell, and Craghead Medical Centre. The new medical group will offer healthcare services at both premises with Dr Hassan and GP lead Dr Richard Hall working across both sites allowing increased flexibility and choice for patients. Dr Hassan, who graduated from Barts and the London School of Medicine in 2007, qualified as a GP in Liverpool in 2015.
“My decision to train as a GP enabled me to become a community orientated health care professional,” said Dr Hassan, who has a specialist interest in men’s health and diabetes. “People are much more complex than their illnesses alone. Being a family doctor allows you to build a longer lasting relationship with people that hospital medicine does not.”
A former partner at The Ferryhill and Chilton Practice and director with the South Durham Health Federation, Dr Hassan stepped down from his partnership role to take up the salaried GP position at The Villages Medical Group at a time of exciting change.
“After meeting Dr Hall and practice manager Mandy Hall, I felt this was an opportunity I could not refuse,” added Dr Hassan. “It is extremely exciting to be working with a small team that feels like a family while also helping to improve the patient journey and share my experience. “I’m also in the process of become a GP trainer and really looking forward to helping turn The Villages Medical Group into a specialist training practice in the future.”
‘The Villages Medical Group’ was chosen by patients of both Gardiner Crescent Surgery and Craghead Medical Centre, to umbrella the two surgeries together, following an online Facebook poll with over 90 percent of respondents in favour of the new name.
GP lead Dr Richard Hall added: “We have been really lucky to be able to get Dr Hassan to join the new merged surgery. “He is a youthful but experienced GP who knows the local area well and along with myself is committed to improving its health.”