Doctors and Physician Associates

Doctors and physician associates and other non-nursing clinical staff at Upper Norwood Group Practice:

• Dr S Sivathasan (GP) – MBBS, LRCP, MRCS, DRCOG, MRCOG
• Dr D Virdi (GP) – MBBS, DFFP
• Dr R Selvanathan (GP) – MBBS, BSc, pgDIP, MRCGP
• Dr Y Patel (GP) – MBBS, BSC (Hons), DRCOG, MRCGP
• Dr L Bottwood (GP) – MBBS, MRCGP
• Dr O Owoseni (GP) – MBBS, MRCGP
• Dr Hussain (GP) – MBBS, MRCGP
• Dr Deegan (GP) – MBBS, DRCOG, DFSRH, MRCGP
• Miss Nana Kufour (Physician Associate) – see this link to understand more about physician associate roles: Faculty of Physician Associates – quality health care across the NHS (fparcp.co.uk).
• Miss Saera Hussain (Social Link Worker) – see this link to understand more about social prescriber roles: What is Social Prescribing? | NASP (socialprescribingacademy.org.uk).

For nursing staff, please refer to the Nursing page.

When to see a Nurse instead of a Doctor

• New patients checks e.g. blood pressure / height/ weight
• Asthma checks yearly – if known/ established asthma diagnosis
• COPD (emphysema and chronic bronchitis) checks yearly – if known/established COPD diagnosis
• Diabetes checks – if established diabetic diagnosis
• Wound dressings e.g. ulcers (we don not do suturing i.e if acute laceration, please go to nearest A&E emergency department)
• Suture removals – as indicated by the hospital e.g. post operations / post A&E injury sutures
• Childhood immunisations
• Flu jabs (when correct season and only if eligible) – we do not do Covid vaccines (please use NHS website for this when correct season to check if eligible)
• Ear syringing – please note the doctors do not perform this. You need to see the doctor first who then instructs you to make an appointment with the nurse if syringing is needed
• Travel immunisations – NHS covers only some travel diseases (other disease immunisations will need to be done privately)- please first check with reception as from time to time there may be difficulties due to high demand of other nursing services.
• Cervical Smears – (check with reception or your NHS app if eligible regarding your last smear – usually 3 yearly but can vary)
• Vaginal swabs e.g. sexually transmitted diseases
• Repeat contraception e.g. pills/ injections – only if already established on medication
• Psychiatric injection medications – only for established patients only where agreement is for the GP surgery to continue injections from psychiatric care.