Celebrating Achievement, Growth, and the Future of Primary Care

This week has all been about celebrating our staff’s achievements. We had five members of our team graduating from the University of Essex, completing their degree in Nursing, all of whom had come through Southend Coastal Surgeries as apprentices or students on placement. Alongside them, two more of our team graduated from Anglia Ruskin University, achieving their Master’s in Advanced Practice. It was a day that made me feel incredibly proud, seeing how far each of them has come and knowing we’ve been part of their journey. 

Standing in the auditorium in Colchester, watching them walk across the stage, I felt an unexpected wave of emotion. These weren’t just graduates; they were people whose professional paths had intertwined with ours. We had seen their potential early, supported their development, and watched them grow into confident, capable nurses. 

But the moment that truly struck me was this: I didn’t just watch the five nurses I went to support. I watched around twenty other students graduate, all of whom had also come through Southend Coastal Surgeries at some point in their training. Twenty individuals whose learning we had contributed to. Twenty future nurses shaped, even in small ways, by the time they spent with our team. 

Before and after the ceremony, several students recognised me. Some came over to say hello and share the news that they had qualified. Many came to say thank you, not just to me but to Southend Coastal Surgeries. They spoke about their placements with us: how much they learned, how supported they felt, how it had been their favourite placement or the one that had the biggest impact on their confidence and skills. Hearing that was overwhelming in the best possible way. 

It made me reflect on something important: do our patients know we do this? Do they know that at any one time we have six to eight student nurses training with us, and two training GP registrars? Do they know why we invest so much time, energy, and heart into supporting the next generation? 

Because we should tell them. 

Our Commitment to Training Across Every Role 

Southend Coastal Surgeries isn’t just a place where students pass through. We are a training hub proudly and consistently. 

Here’s what our training landscape actually looks like: 

• 2–3 GP registrars training with us at any one time 

• 3 of our GPs are qualified trainers, shaping the next generation of doctors 

• A team of 4 Advanced Practitioners who lead on student nurse training 

• A team of 5 nurses and 2 Physician Associates who supervise student nurses, trainee Nursing Associates, and GP Assistants 

• A new team member beginning a 3‑year Master’s apprenticeship in Advanced Practice, fully supported by us 

• 2 staff members training to become GP Assistants 

• 1 member of our pharmacy team training as a technician, soon joining our existing two qualified technicians 

And did you know that many of the students you see working within the PCN are actually from Southend Coastal Surgeries? We want them to learn what a PCN does, how it works, and how different roles come together to support patient care. 

We don’t just encourage learning; we build it into the fabric of who we are. 

Teaching pushes us to stay sharp. It keeps our knowledge current. It encourages us to be the best version of ourselves professionally. 

And we invest in training because we want to be the best for our patients, for our community, and for ourselves. Excellence matters to us. It means constantly learning, constantly improving, and constantly developing our skills so we can offer the highest standard of care. Every student we teach, every qualification we support, and every new skill we gain strengthens the care we provide and helps us be the best team we can be. 

Students bring new energy into general practice. They ask questions. They challenge assumptions. They remind us why we do what we do. And in return, we show them what primary care really looks like: the complexity, the pace, the relationships, the continuity, and the privilege of being part of people’s lives over time. 

The Skills We Don’t Shout About — But Should :

Today made me think about the incredible team we have at Southend Coastal Surgeries. Our patients see the care, but they don’t always see the expertise behind it. They don’t see the evenings spent studying, the weekends spent on courses, or the constant drive to stay up to date. 

Here are just some of the specialist skills within our team: 

• Honorary Fellow of the Faculty for Homeless and Inclusion Health 

• RCGP Examiner 

• Queens Nurse 

• Specialists in ENT 

• Specialists in headaches and migraines 

• Specialists in addictions 

• ICB Asthma Champion for Southend, Castle Point and Rochford 

• Specialist interest in respiratory 

• Specialist interests in cardiology 

• Specialist interest in paediatric medicine 

• Specialists in joint injections and minor surgery 

• Specialists in sexual health and contraception 

• A nursing team with extensive knowledge in long‑term conditions 

This is not a typical general practice team. This is a team with depth, passion, and advanced capabilities, and what I’ve listed here is only a small part of our skill set. Behind the scenes, our staff bring an even wider range of expertise, specialist training, and experience that most patients never see but benefit from every single day. 

A Final Thought 

So next time you’re in the surgery, and you notice more than one person in a clinic room, take a moment to wonder who they might be. It could be one of our student nurses, a trainee GP, a future advanced practitioner, or someone beginning their journey into healthcare. 

Why not ask about them? Ask our staff about their skills, their training, and the expertise they bring to your care. 

You might be surprised by what you learn, and by just how much goes on behind the scenes. Every extra person in that room is there for a reason: to learn, to grow, to support, and to strengthen the care we provide. And every member of our team has a story, a specialist skill, or a qualification that you may never have realised sits right here within your local surgery. 

The truth is that we do far more than most people ever see. We teach, we train, we mentor, we study, and we invest in the future of healthcare every single day. And when you ask, when you show interest, it helps shine a light on the incredible work happening quietly in the background that ultimately benefits you, our patients, and the wider community. 

So go on, be curious. You might walk away knowing something new about the people who care for you, and about the extraordinary team working hard to make Southend Coastal Surgeries the very best it can be.