Contact: 0191 4977710
Manager: Helen Lumley
Meet The Team
Directors
Jerry Warwick
I qualified from Newcastle University in 1988 having come to Newcastle for its so called integrated medical course. After qualifying I completed GP training in the region and after a short time working in Australia I accepted a post as a GP principal in Low Fell. At the time it was usual for GPs to undertake their own on-call but it became unsustainable and evident that better quality care could be provided by working cooperatively with other practices. Soon after I was elected to the board of Gatdoc, now CBC, an organisation uniquely built on cooperation and close relationships and which constantly seeks improved ways of working. I live in the region with my wife and family and continue to work as a GP in and out of hours.
Helen Lumley
Bill Westwood
I am founder member of CBC and have worked as a director since. I have a particular interest in IT and OOH. I am the lead director for the Pharmicus medicines optimisation service. I started work as a GP in Gateshead some 25 years ago and except for a short stint on the Isle of Skye have worked here ever since. I am a partner at Bewick Road Surgery and am also chair of Gateshead and South Tyneside Local Medical Committee.
I joined Gateshead CBC in 2011 after 20 years of working in the NHS in both Gateshead and Northumberland. Much of my NHS time was spent working with general practices and involved implementing new initiatives such as introduction of PCTs, the changes to the GP contract in 2004 and GP commissioning. My first role in CBC was to consolidate work that had begun on ‘federation’ and support practices to work together. My role has now changed and involves development of CBC’s business in the new arena of procurement and ensuring that CBC has the staffing and infrastructure to deliver NHS services in the current environment.
Office Staff
Craig Appleby
Mike Bell
I have been working with CBC since December 2013. I was recruited with a view to running payroll and also to be involved with bookkeeping and the other financial aspects of the company. I have an accountancy background and actually used to work for our current accountants Robson Laidler. I also currently work in general practice and so I have a good understanding and first hand experience of some of the services that CBC provide.
My name is Mike Bell and I am the GatDoc Administrator as well as the Company Secretary for the Groups 3 Companies. I have been with GatDoc since March 1994, just as I was achieving my MBA, so am the longest serving employee by some margin! Prior to joining GatDoc I worked for Gateshead Community Health but before that I worked in a private chemicals company, social housing and then public transport so I have gained a variety of different sector experiences during my career which commenced in the 1970's. I am married with 2 grown up children and my hobbies are dog walking, socialising and worrying about the job when we experience bad weather!
Alex Breeds
Julie Cox
I started in July 2013 initially working for Pharmicus as a temporary pharmacy technician, assisting pharmacists with searches and the collation of results and reports. I then moved over to Gateshead CBC working in the office carrying out general administration duties for both Pharmicus and CBC. This consisted of spreadsheet work, Script Switch, cross checking activity reports and action plans, leaflets and compiling data from staff rotas. Whilst studying for my Masters Degree, I am currently responsible for the re-vamp and re-launch of both the CBC and Pharmicus websites, where I will be designing, branding and maintaining.
After having worked in the NHS for over 25 years in a variety or role within primary care, I left in 2011 to explore new challenges. I joined Gateshead CBC in May 2012. My role is predominantly managing the rota’s of our salaried GP’s and also sourcing ad-hoc locum cover for practices in Gateshead and more recently South Tyneside. I also carry out a range of general administration duties – everything from ordering stationery to inputting sales and purchase invoices. I live in Sunderland with my husband and 10 year old son.
Melanie Emeary
Deb Goodfellow
I’m Melanie and I have worked at CBC for 2 months now. I am an apprentice here and I am working towards a NVQ Level 2 in Business Administration. I am still learning about the business and how everything works within this type of organisation. So far I have been doing work for CBC, GatDoc and Pharmicus. Through this I have learnt what they do and understand how they function.
I have worked in the NHS in Primary Care for the past 30 years. Most of this time I was employed in practices in Gateshead but for the last ten years I worked in a general practice in Co Durham. I started working in Durham when QOF was introduced, my role was to oversee data collection, management of QOF and enhanced services.I started working for Gateshead CBC in October 2012 and provide support services on a part-time ad-hoc basis when required. I have been involved with Information Governance Registration for CBC and provided support to practices experiencing problems with NHS Health Check data collection. I am currently working alongside EMIS on Pilot scheme to develop a Primary Care Intergration Network.
Margaret Tuck
Debbie Thompson
I worked in the NHS for over 25 years. The majority of my work included clinical audit & research in both primary and secondary care and also information facilitation and data quality in primary care. For a short period (2 years) I was seconded to The Government Office North East (GONE) to roll out the ‘school fruit and vegetable scheme’ in the North East. I have been based at the Gateshead CBC since June 2011. My main role includes: assisting Dr Jonathan Harness in the standardisation of referral forms in the Gateshead area; publishing referral forms on GIN; ensuring the distribution of new and updated forms to all practices on a monthly/bimonthly period. In addition to being involved in referral forms, I have also been involved with the development and roll out of clinical templates.
My name is Debbie Thompson and I joined GatDOC when Bensham Hospital’s Walk-in Centre opened in Gateshead in 2005. I worked in a dual role, as part of the Walk-in centre Admin team and Admin support to Mike Bell at GatDOC. I now work between the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and CBC office at Team Valley, managing the online shift booking system for GP’s working during the out of hours period, through to the payment of invoices. I am currently expanding my role to be involved in the other operating divisions of the company.
Alyson Wilson
I joined Gateshead CBC in 2009 having worked in recruitment and retailing for over twenty years. I initially joined as a Practice Manager with responsibility for supplying GP's to Blaydon GP Practice at the Walk In Centre. As a result of this I was heavily involved in the set up of MPS as a provider of Locum GP's across Gateshead. I am currently working on a number of projects to support the growth and development of CBC.
Catherine Armstrong
Gary Armstrong
​I have been lead Pharmacist for Pharmicus since its inception in 2009, and I am a board member of CBC. I have worked in GP surgeries as a practice pharmacist since 2002, coming from a background of three generations of community pharmacists. From 2009-2012 I was the primary care representative of the inaugural Royal Pharmaceutical Society English Pharmacy Board and a member of the RPS Assembly; remaining to be involved now at a local level. My current role involves leading teams across the areas in which CBC has Medicines Optimisation contracts, as well as providing pharmaceutical advice to the OOH division of CBC. I remain an active practice-based pharmacist working across 7 practices.
I started working for CBC as a part-time practice pharmacist in 2010. Following CBC being awarded the contracts for the Medicines Optimisation Service for Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland in 2013 I joined CBC on a full time basis. I now hold the post of Pharmicus Team Leader and my responsibilities include development and support of the Pharmacy Technicians, assisting the Lead Pharmacist in ensuring the service runs efficiently, and staff training. I have recently completed my Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy and am currently working towards obtaining my Independent Prescribing qualification.