A NEW GP service launched in Somerset a year ago is being expanded - to offer patients a different choice in challenging times.

Kingston Wing – the private wing of Yeovil Hospital – has welcomed Dr Katie Thomas as its second GP.

She joins Dr Charles Middle, who has been working as a private GP at the Kingston Wing since March last year, and in that time he has seen more than 400 patients.

Private GP appointments are now also being offered at Parkside, the private wing of Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton.

Today Hannah Pitman, Private Patients Service Manager at Kingston, said:  What is being offered now, both in Taunton and Yeovil, is designed to complement the existing NHS GP service and not replace it. 

“The purpose is to fill the gap in the market where a patient requires a longer consultation, a quicker or more convenient appointment, a second opinion or a service that is not available on the NHS.”

The services being offered by the Kingston Wing and Parkside are available to people of all ages, including children.  They include: Travel vaccinations, immunisations, medicals including HGV, Taxi etc, a more convenient appointment time or longer appointment, health checks / well-person packages, including HRT, prescribing, osteoporosis assessments, breast screening and prostate cancer screening, people visiting the UK or not registered for an NHS GP, onward referral for private diagnostic tests, to a private, consultant, or for private elective surgery, a second opinion.

And it is already proving popular, which is why a second GP has been appointed in Yeovil

Hannah Pitman added: “The demand in these challenging times has proved the need for a second GP in Yeovil and we are delighted to welcome Dr Thomas.”

Dr Thomas qualified at St. Mary’s Hospital Medical School, London, in 2000 having also completed a BSc degree in psychology during her training. She is an experienced GP, and has worked as a GP partner in the local area for more than 15 years.

Now she is following a portfolio career combining private GP work with the role of Senior Medical Officer for a local boarding school and NHS GP work. Katie has a passion for general practice which goes beyond just diagnosing and treating.

The GP said: “I feel it is a privilege to work closely with my patients and their families, whether it’s guiding them through chronic illness management, providing preventative care, or supporting them through life’s challenges.”

Katie is married to a local hospital consultant, and they have three teenage children. She also enjoys a multitude of hobbies including sailing, tennis and bassoon playing.

Kingston Wing at Yeovil and Parkside at Musgrove in Taunton are part of Somerset NHS Foundation Trust and all profits go straight back into the NHS.