Announcing the next Primary Care Stars Winners and Highly Commended

It’s time for us to have the honour once again of announcing the next Primary Care Stars Award winners and Highly Commended! We are always delighted to celebrate and reward the hard work and dedication from healthcare professionals across the country.

Without further delay, here are the winners!

Winners

Gillian Reid

Read why Gillian was picked as the winner!

“Gillian is the pharmacist here, and I do not know what we would do without her! Gillian works the equivalent of two full-time jobs providing support and care to patients and staff at both practices. Her phenomenal pharmacy knowledge means we have a deep and thorough resource on all medication issues. She calls patients and manages pharmacy issues independently as well as working with the GPs. Her workload is astonishingly high but she manages to do it all with a smile and remaining an excellent colleague throughout.

Primary care pharmacy is often a role that can go underrecognised, but I genuinely do not know how we would function without Gillian- we often discuss this in our practice when she is on annual leave!

I cannot think of anyone who exemplifies the hard work that goes on in the background of primary care better than her and she is thoroughly deserving of recognition.”

Congratulations Gillian!

Rachel Stark

Read the nomination for Rachel:

“I am honored to nominate Rachel Stark, for Primary Care Star in recognition of her outstanding leadership, unwavering support for her team, and dedication to the Nursing Associate role within primary care.

Rachel is more than a Practice Manager—she is a mentor, an advocate, and a driving force for positive change in the workplace.

Her support extends far beyond Nursing Associates. Rachel fosters a workplace culture where every staff member feels valued, empowered, and supported. Whether it’s advocating for professional development, ensuring staff well-being, or implementing changes that improve patient care, Rachel leads with compassion and a deep commitment to her team.

Her open-door policy and proactive approach to problem-solving mean that staff always have someone they can turn to, and her dedication to nurturing talent has led to countless success stories within the practice. Rachel’s leadership doesn’t stop at internal improvements—she is a forward-thinking leader who actively engages in wider healthcare initiatives, ensuring that primary care continues to evolve in ways that benefit both staff and patients.

She is an advocate for innovation, always seeking ways to improve services, streamline processes, and enhance patient experiences. Her ability to balance the operational challenges of managing a busy practice while maintaining a deep commitment to her team’s growth and well-being is truly remarkable.

Rachel is not just managing a practice; she is shaping the future of primary care, one supportive step at a time. For these reasons, I wholeheartedly nominate Rachel Stark for this award. Her dedication, leadership, and unwavering support for both her staff and the wider Nursing Associate profession make her an exceptional candidate.”

Congratulations Rachel!

Highly Commended

Ros Lloyd

“Ros has on several digital transformation projects within the practice that have revolutionised how we manage everything from bookings to telephony to recall systems to enhance efficiency and improve patient care as well as reducing workload for staff.

She is a true inspiration to her colleagues and incredibly supportive to us all. She always goes above and beyond and we are lucky to have her.”

Dr Matthew Jones and the team at Park Street Surgery

“An exceptional GP Practice run by Salaried GP’s who go above and beyond their contractual obligations to provide outstanding care for their patients. They have achieved a significant increase in Google review rating to 4.5/5.

The Reception staff are most helpful and accommodating to patients needs, with regular compliments from patients.

Dr Jones is a lead clinician at the practice, who provides Minor Surgery and Joint Injection clinics, plus leads on the Palliative Care for our patients. He has turned around out provision of palliative care and holistic care plans for our patient population. He has also taken on a Clinical Supervisors role for GP Trainees, new to the practice within the last 12 months. Our Practices QoF and LQC targets have significantly improved and been outstanding this last 12 months. Part of this success has been Dr Jones previous Partnership experiences and taking on a leadership role in automating process for meeting our targets.”

Cathy Blaze

“I am honoured to nominate Cathy Blaze for this award in recognition of their extraordinary leadership and unwavering dedication during a challenging time.

Their rise to the occasion has showcased remarkable resilience and a deep commitment to our team and the well-being of our patients and staff. Cathy has gone above and beyond, managing increased workloads while providing unwavering support to colleagues.

Their positive spirit and ability to foster collaboration have been truly invaluable. This exceptional dedication to excellence and selfless support makes Cathy a perfect candidate for the Primary Care Stars Award. I wholeheartedly advocate for their recognition, as they embody the essence of teamwork and leadership that this award celebrates.”

Tina Bennion

“I have chosen this practice because they are like family. Every single member of the team is always striving to achieve their best. Nothing is ever too much or insignificant. That applies to their caring attitude towards patients, each other, and visitors to the practice too.

The person I have chosen is Tina because she is an amazing practice manager due to her strong leadership, her friendly approach and comforting manner. She excels in problem-solving and prioritises patient satisfaction, ensuring high-quality services. Tina is always committed to continuous improvement, she seeks professional development opportunities for herself and her team.”

Congratulations everyone!

Nominate your colleagues

Do you want to reward your team? Nominate them for a Primary Care Stars Award. Click the link here to nominate. We will be picking the next winners at the end of June.