THE CHARING PRACTICE - Key Persons
Dr Andrew Taylor qualified at the University of Cape Town in 1988, and after military service, came to the UK to travel, and is still here. After several years of Orthopaedic surgery, he trained locally as a General Practitioner and became a partner at the Lenham Surgery. While there he was accredited as a General Practitioner with Special Interest in Musculoskeletal Medicine and as an Extended Role Practitioner in Dermatology Surgery. Having provided sessional Minor Surgery in Charing since 2014, he has now formally joined the team. He has retired from the Partnership at Lenham, but continues there as a Salaried clinician providing Minor Surgery and Musculoskeletal Medicine services. He also provides General Medical Services to the Orchard Surgery in Langley.
Dr Warrilow trained at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Subsequently, he worked as a single-handed GP in Saskatchewan, Canada, before working in Germany as a civilian medical practitioner in Orthopaedics and General Surgery for the Royal Air Force at Wegberg Hospital. He came to Kent to join the GP training scheme and has been here ever since. He joined the practice in 1997. He retired from full-time partnership in 2022 and currently works in the practice 2 days a week performing minor surgery and musculoskeletal triaging, assessments and joint injections. He has an interest in physical culture, nutrition, fasting, strength training, alpine skiing and water sports. He lives close to the sea in Saltwood, Kent with his wife and family.
Dr Norwood joined Charing Practice as a Salaried GP in June 2019 and she became a partner in 2022. She completed her medical training at St George's Hospital Medical School, London and qualified in 1999. She went on to train as a GP in Medway, Kent where she then worked as a Partner at a surgery for 16 years. During this time she developed a particular interest in Paediatrics, Mental Health and became a GP with a Specialist Interest (GPSI) in Substance Misuse, working also for the local drug and alcohol treatment service. Dr Norwood enjoys teaching and she is also a GP trainer. Dr Norwood moved locally a couple of years ago and is enjoying spending more time with her family and walking her dog.
Dr Benson qualified from The University of Nottingham Medical School in 2015. He worked for two years in Suffolk before returning to his hometown in Kent. After a period working in A&E at William Harvey Hospital, he started his GP training, eventually joining Charing Practice as a registrar. Upon completing his MRCGP in 2022 he remained at Charing as a salaried GP and now a Clinical Supervisor. Outside of medicine, Dr Benson enjoys running and painting alongside spending time with his wife and children.
Dr Sharp trained at The United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy's and St Thomas' Hospitals in London, qualifying in 1996. She then completed her training to become a G.P. both locally in Canterbury and in London. She first worked in London as a G.P., before moving to Charing, starting work as a part-time salaried G.P. in 2006. She has her diploma in family planning and has a special interest in Women's Health. Rachel is married to Henry Sharp a local Ear Nose and Throat Consultant and they have 3 children. She is very keen on fitness training, particularly enjoying running. Rachel also works as a health screening doctor at The BMI Chaucer Hospital in Canterbury and is the secretary to her husband's private practice.
Dr Knottenbelt qualified at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. He moved to the United Kingdom in 1995 where he completed basic surgical training at the William Harvey Hospital. He developed a keen interest in orthopaedics and trained for several years in local hospitals. He completed GP training in Cumbria and moved back to Kent in 2003 practicing as a full-time GP in a wide variety of settings including Thanet, East Kent, Romney Marsh and most recently the Weald of Kent. Other roles have included GP appraisal, racecourse medical officer provision and GP training. Special interests are musculoskeletal medicine, steroid injections and minor surgery. He enjoys road and mountain biking, snowboarding, the outdoors and most importantly spending time with his wife and three children!
Dr Rob Immelman trained at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. He qualified in 1990 and worked in a variety of specialties before settling in the United Kingdom in 1996. After completing his GP training, he worked in Hythe, Kent for 18 years. Specialisms and interest areas include urology, musculoskeletal medicine and minor surgery. Outside interests include walking, running, mountain biking and travelling in his campervan.
Dr Dunnet trained at the Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School in London. After several years of surgical training, she settled into general practice, moving to Charing Surgery in 1999. She worked as a retained Doctor for 10 years while raising a family and becoming a partner in 2010, working 3/4 time. She has a special interest in family planning and women's health. Dr Dunnet is the Clinical Director for the Ashford Rural PCN. Life outside the practice is busy with four children, many animals and regular trips to the mountains!
Dr Fitch qualified from Birmingham University in 1996. She then completed her GP training and MRCGP before going to East Africa. Her husband retired from the RAF and they went out to work for MAF, a flying charity. Whilst there she volunteered in slum clinics and the hospice and completed her Diploma in Palliative Care before moving on to a hospice in South Africa. On returning to the UK in 2011 she worked at the Pilgrims Hospice and as a GP in Dover before moving closer to home to a GP practice in Ashford and then to Charing - joining in Dec 2019. She enjoys anything outdoors from gardening to hill walking and is immensely proud of her two teenage children.
Dr Lama qualified in 2011 from Kathmandu Medical College in Nepal. She worked in Paediatrics and the Paediatric intensive care unit in Nepal. She also used to work in the Journal of Nepal Medical Association as an assistant editor and later as an editor for a few years until she came to the UK in 2017. She was a GP Registrar at Charing Surgery and joined the team in 2021 upon completion of her training. Sanju's interest areas include medical education, and she is a Clinical Supervisor. Her non-academic interests include travelling.
Angela started her working life in the Army, serving in the Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corp. After leaving the forces in 1989, Angela secured a job as a receptionist in a Practice in Kent and over the last 34 years has successfully worked in most administrative posts in Primary care, as well as 8 years in the local hospital as a technician in Ophthalmology. But Primary care is where Angela always felt she belonged. Having a good understanding of how Practices worked and the drive to expand her knowledge Angela completed the AMSPAR Diploma in Primary Care Management and Finance, enabling her to move into a Management role.
Job Titles:
- Nursing Team of Nurse Practitioner
Victoria Frisby leads our nursing team of Nurse Practitioner, Advanced Clinical Practitioner Trainees, Practice Nurses and Healthcare Assistants. Their duties include not only the clinics which are listed here but various treatments such as dressings, inoculations, ear syringing, injections, assisting in minor surgery, first aid etc. all appropriate for their skills and experience. Our nurses have special qualifications and experience in dealing with various chronic medical conditions including diabetes and respiratory conditions. Our Nurse Practitioners are qualified prescribers and trained to make autonomous decisions in the assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and management of acute, episodic and chronic illnesses.