The East Antrim GP Federation was set up by local GPs in an environment of increasing workload and a workforce crisis in General Practice. It is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company Limited by Guarantee and registered as ‘Federation of Family Practices East Antrim CIC’. It is made up of 17 practices covering over 150,000 patients. Members remain as individual practices but collaborate to develop improved local primary care.
East Antrim GP Practices
Templepatrick Surgery
Rosehall Medical Practice
Glengormley Practice
Meadowbridge Surgery
Old School Surgery
Scotch Quarter Practice
Inver Surgery
Corran Surgery
Castle Practice
Victoria Surgery
Larne Family Practice
Whitehouse Medical
Ballyclare Group Practice
Abbots Cross Med Practice
Tramways Medical Practice
Notting Hill Medical Practice
Dr Ian Lalsingh
Chair
Dr Gerry Meenan
Treasurer
Dr Tracey Cruickshanks
Executive Member
Dr Gordon Alexander
Executive Member
Dr Eimear McLaverty
Executive Member
Nicola Smyth
Lead General Practice Pharmacist
Karen Foreman
Lead General Practice Pharmacist
Carol Andrews
Practice Manager
Dr Richard McClean
GP Education Lead
Dr Aine McNeill
GP Education Lead
Shauna McKinley
Practice Manager Education Lead
Janice Russell
Practice Manager Education Lead
General Practice Pharmacists
General Practice Pharmacists (GPPs) work as an integral part of the multi-disciplinary general practice team. In addition to the practice team, the GPP works within and is supported by the local GPP team and NI-wide GPP network. Every GP practice in NI avails of the services of a GPP through membership of the GP Federation. Although GPPs have a well-defined and wide ranging remit, the GPP role within an individual practice can vary according to practice need and priorities but the core elements of the GPP role will be medication review, reconciliation of medicines following discharge / change, prescribing system review and management, chronic disease management with/without prescribing responsibilities, answering queries from patients and other members of healthcare team, formulary and guideline implementation, optimising use of medicines budget, clinical audit.
The Northern GP Federation Support Unit came into existence in 2016 and supports four individual GP Federations:
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Antrim & Ballymena GP Federation
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Causeway GP Federation
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East Antrim GP Federation
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Mid Ulster GP Federation
The Northern GP Federation Support Unit works collaboratively alongside 73 GP Practices across the province, employing approximately 150 staff. Federation Support Units provide administrative, project support, finance management, payroll services and HR advise/support to the four Federations within Northern GP Federation Support Unit (NFSU). NFSU is staffed by a small team who are always available to help employees with queries regarding payroll, HR matters or any other query you may have.
Education
The practice-based learning team consists of GPs and Practice Managers. The team facilitate training events for all the practices in the Federation on designated days throughout the year and recently throughout the pandemic via Zoom. The training and update material is GP practice specific; we aim to deliver true multi-disciplinary training days that delivers to all members of the primary care team, both clinical and non-clinical. Our agenda is driven by the feedback and needs of our practice teams.
Elective Care Services (ECR)
Elective Care Reform services have now been running for the last 4 years. These services, which are Dermatology, Musculoskeletal (MSK), Primary Care Surgical Services (PCSS), Gynaecology and Vasectomy have been structured within a Primary Care setting for GPs to refer into, where GPESs (GPs with Enhanced Skills) manage the individual conditions with initial and review appointments.
