We are a friendly and dedicated team made up of doctors, nurses, dispensers, allied healthcare professionals, administrative staff, and receptionists.
Together, we work collaboratively to provide high-quality, compassionate care to our community. Welcome to Tavyside Health Centre, Tavistock - a new facility with seven General Practitioner partners, serving the community of Tavistock and its surrounding areas.
29/10/2025
Movember is coming up - and we’re calling on everyone who cares about men’s mental health.
Globally, 3 out of 4 suicides are men. That’s 1 man every 60 seconds.
This isn’t just a statistic - it’s someone’s brother, father, partner, or friend 💔🕯️
It’s time to stop the silence. It’s time to unite.
Together, we can:
🧪 Fund life-saving mental health research
📚 Support training and education
🫂 Provide real help for those in crisis
✊🏽 Let’s change the face of men’s health together.
27/10/2025
Vaccines help protect what matters most
Check your child's vaccines are up to date
Stay strong. Get vaccinated.
27/10/2025
Black History Month is a time to honour culture, celebrate resilience, and spotlight important health conversations 🧠💬
🎯 Did you know? People of Black African & Caribbean heritage in the UK are more likely to develop:
🩺 Type 2 diabetes
💢 High blood pressure (hypertension)
❤️🩹 And face a higher risk of heart disease, kidney issues & stroke
But knowledge = power 💡💪
Let’s take action together:
🍽️ Eat for your heart & blood sugar (think more veggies, less salt!)
🏃🏽♂️ Move that body daily
🧪 Get regular checks - blood pressure & diabetes screenings can be life-saving
🫱🏾🫲🏽 Talk to your family - sharing this info could change lives
This month, let’s rise together in strength, in knowledge, and in health 🖤✨
24/10/2025
🎗️ ADHD Awareness Month - October is here! Whether you're newly considering ADHD or already navigating life with it - you’re not alone. ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition that can manifest as inattention, impulsivity, hyperactivity, or all three - presenting differently across individuals and across life stages
Seeking clarity? Begin with ADHD UK’s About ADHD page, offering videos from specialists and a self-screener for adults
ADHD UK also hosts peer support groups, expert-led sessions, and an online marketplace of coaches and tools to help with day-to-day challenges
Why it matters:
• Diagnoses are rising - not because ADHD is increasing, but because awareness is growing and stigma is lifting
• But many still wait long months - even years - for NHS assessments - access remains unequal
• Misinformation online can confuse rather than clarify. Trusted sources like ADHD UK are key
🎀 October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month - a time to learn, support, and advocate for everyone affected 💖
Breast cancer doesn’t just affect women. Men can get it too. It can also impact transgender people, who may face extra barriers to awareness, diagnosis, and care.
Here’s what to keep in mind:
🩺 Know the signs in everyone - lumps, changes in shape, ni**le changes, skin dimpling
🔍 Men, don’t ignore changes in your chest or ni**le - although less common, breast cancer can still occur in men
🏳️⚧️ Trans and nonbinary people: your risks and body may change with hormone therapy or surgeries - always feel empowered to ask for care and checkups
🌡️💬 Menopause brings change — from hot flushes and mood swings to sleep shifts and brain fog. But with the right information and support, it doesn’t have to be overwhelming 💪🌸
This is your reminder: you’re not alone - and help is just a click away 💻💙
Let’s talk, share, and support each other - here's to better understanding and better health 💚
15/10/2025
📢 Practice Half-Day Closure
Please note that the surgery will be closing at 1:00 PM today (Wednesday, 15th October) for mandatory staff training 🩺.
Lifton surgery will be closing at 12:30 PM.
We’ll reopen as usual tomorrow, Thursday, 16th October.
If you need medical advice during this time, please call: 📞 01392 301516.
For medical emergencies, always dial 🚨 999.
Thank you for your understanding 💙
13/10/2025
📢 Practice Half-Day Closure
Please note that the surgery will be closing at 1:00 PM on Wednesday, 15th October for mandatory staff training 🩺.
Lifton surgery will be closing at 12:30 PM.
We’ll reopen as usual on Thursday, 16th October.
If you need medical advice during this time, please call: 📞 01392 301516.
For medical emergencies, always dial 🚨 999.
Thank you for your understanding 💙
13/10/2025
🌐✨ Get Online Week 2025 is coming - 20 - 26 October!
The UK’s biggest digital inclusion campaign is BACK 🙌💻
Whether you’re brand new to the internet or want to level up your skills, this week is all about helping people feel safer, smarter, and more confident online 🧠💪
💡 Why it matters:
✅ Book GP appointments
✅ Manage your money online
✅ Apply for work or access training
✅ Stay connected with family & friends
✅ 97% of attendees say they learn something new! 📈
👥 Who’s being left behind?
• Older people
• Low-income households
• Job seekers
• People without access to devices or data
• Anyone unsure where to begin
🎉 How to get involved:
📢 Spread the word in your community
👨💻 Help someone get started
📍 Find your local centre or digital hub: https://www.goodthingsfoundation.org
12/10/2025
🧠💥 What is Rheumatoid Arthritis? Professor David Scott, Consultant Rheumatologist, explains it clearly:
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune condition that primarily affects the joints - especially in the hands and feet 🙌🦶. It can cause pain, swelling, stiffness, and fatigue, and it can deeply impact daily life 😓
But here’s the good news - with the right treatment and support, RA doesn’t have to define you. You can still work, stay active, and live well 💪🌈
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Tavyside Health Centre has a long tradition of providing high quality and comprehensive primary healthcare services for its patients. The practice can trace its origins back at least as far as Dr Lewis Lindsay, who established a surgery in 1930 on Plymouth Road. Stannary and Wharfside Surgeries (direct descendants of Dr Lindsay's surgery) merged to form Tavyside Health Centre in 2010, and moved into brand new premises on the site of the former Stannary Surgery in 2011.
In 2016, Tavyside Health Centre merged with Lifton Surgery before Dr Sparrows retirement in 2017. Lifton Surgery was established in the early 1950's by Drs. Charles and Mary Sutherland, who continued to work together until the early 1980's. Following Dr Charles' death, Dr Mary Sutherland continued to practice single-handed until the advent of Dr Sparrow in 1988. She retired three years later. Dr Robert Gardner joined Lifton Surgery in 1992, adding his unique brand of medicine to the practice. He departed in 2002. Dr Jonathan Carty joined the Practice in 2006 and continued working at the practice until 2015.
The practice is keen to maintain these long established traditional values of a family doctor service. The demands on the NHS increase every year, both from increasing expectations brought on by medical advances and by the political responses to meet these expectations. The service has to adjust to meet these constantly shifting goalposts, and as a practice contracted by the NHS we expect (and you expect us) to meet the demands, without losing sight of the need to be caring and attentive to the individual.
At Tavyside we work as a team of health professionals, and the days of primary healthcare being delivered by the doctor alone are in the past. Indeed, sometimes your care will be delivered exclusively by our pharmacist or by a nurse, but the service will always be led by the practice doctors. Prevention is an essential component of primary care - by advising on lifestyle and by targeting patients with specific needs, we hope to promote better health in the future for our patients.
Through education, training and regular appraisal of all staff we aim to ensure a continuing high standard of medical care is delivered. However, if the problem demands more complex investigation or treatment than we can offer at Tavyside, we shall refer you to a specialist service for an opinion and treatment whenever it is appropriate to do so.
