The Clinical Team - The Nurses

Sister Heather Francis BSC(Hons) Specialist Practitioner RN

Heather trained at Mount Vernon and Harefield Hospitals, qualifying in 1976. She has since gained experience in general surgery, urology, general medicine and cardiology followed by three years at the Michael Sobell Unit gaining experience in palliative care. Further experience at Mount Vernon Hospital was gained in orthopaedic surgery and in the burns and plastics unit. Heather joined the practice in 1997 and has since developed interests in heart disease, diabetes, palliative care, minor surgery and practice audit. She is active in the National Collaborative Study and has published articles on nurse-led clinics. She is married with two grown-up children.

Sister Lorraine Harris BSc(Hons) Specialist Practitioner RN RM

Lorraine trained at the Royal Free Hospital, London, qualifying in 1979. She gained experience in medicine at the Royal Free before moving to Bedfordshire and working in general theatres at Luton and Dunstable Hospital. She qualified in midwifery in 1983 and worked in the Maternity Unit at Luton and Dunstable and in the community before taking a break for her own family. In 1987 she returned to nursing, gaining experience in medicine and surgery. In 1993 Lorraine transferred to respiratory nursing in hospital and the community. She moved to practice nursing in 1997 and joined the Chorleywood practice in 2001. She has a particular interest in asthma and COPD and is active in the National Collaborative Study.

Sister Melanie Tester Dip HE Nursing

Melanie trained at Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College and qualified in 2000. She gained experience in cardio-thoracic nursing during 3 ½ years on the Transplant Unit at Harefield Hospital and then worked in the medical and surgical units of Hemel Hempstead General Hospital. She developed an interest in Primary Care whilst working for the Harmoni out-of-hours cooperative, and was appointed to the Chorleywood practice in 2005.

Barbara Don MSc (Health Psychology) BA(Hons) ,RN

Barbara trained as a nurse in her native Germany. After marriage to her Scottish husband she worked as a State Registered Nurse in Newcastle, gaining experience in psychiatric and cardio-thoracic surgical nursing. She subsequently obtained a degree in Psychology from the University of Newcastle. After a family break she worked as a community nurse in Watford and taught in secondary education before returning to community nursing at Chorleywood. She has recently completed an MSc in Health Psychology.

Jane Smith RM BSc

Jane trained as an SRN in Nottingham, qualifying in 1979. She continued her training in midwifery at Hemel Hempstead Hospital qualifying in 1981. Living locally with two children, Jane has worked in the Watford area for several years and now provides midwifery services for three local practices. She is a graduate with a BSc in midwifery.