Practice Staff
Our practice is supported by a dedicated team of healthcare professionals and administrative staff who work together to provide safe, compassionate and high-quality care to our patients. From our GPs and nursing team to our reception and practice support staff, everyone plays an important role in helping you access the right care and support when you need it.
Use this page to find out more about the members of our practice team and the roles they carry out within the practice.
Our Team
Doctors
Dr David Hopkins (Male) (He/him)
BM, DRCOG, MRCGP, DFFP
Equity Partner Dr Hopkins qualified from Southampton University Medical School in 1993 and became a full time Partner in January 2000. He is involved in the training of Medical Students and Doctors in the Practice. Dr Hopkins is married with two children, enjoys running, surfing, hill walking, outdoor activities and gardening.
Dr Sarah Scammell (Female) (She/her)
BMedSci, BM BS, MRCGP, DRCOG, DCH, BSc MBBS
Equity Partner Dr Scammell qualified from the University of Nottingham in 2005 and moved to Exeter in 2009. She spent time working in Australia and Uganda before joining Mount Pleasant in 2014. Dr Scammell enjoys walking, surfing and snowboarding.
Dr Ruth Hanwell (Female) (She/her)
MRCGP, DRCOG, DCH, MBChB
GP Associate Dr Hanwell qualified from the University of Bristol in 1997. She works as a GP Associate, having joined Mount Pleasant on the GP retainer scheme in 2010. She enjoys taking part in sporting events and spending time with her young family.
Dr Helen Crighton (Female) (She/her)
MRCGP, DGM, MBChB, DPD
GP Associate Dr Crighton qualified at University of Wales College of Medicine in Cardiff. She has spent time working in the UK, Australia and New Zealand before moving to Exeter to start her GP training in 2000. She joined Mount Pleasant in 2006 as a GP Associate. Dr Crighton has an interest in dermatology and has completed the diploma of practical dermatology. She works as a GP specialist in dermatology both at the practice and in dermatology at RD&E hospital. Dr Crighton has a diploma in elderly care medicine and outside of working she enjoys running, bike riding and spending time outdoors.
Dr Claire Clode (Female) (She/her)
MRCGP, DRCOG, MBChB
Dr Clode qualified from Leicester University in 2002 and moved to Exeter in 2003. She completed her GP training in Taunton and Exeter before joining Mount Pleasant Health Centre in 2007. Dr Clode is also a part time lecturer at the University of Exeter Medical School, teaching professional development to 1st and 3rd year students. Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her family, reading, cycling, walking and baking.
Dr Mark Collyer (Male) (He/him)
MBChB, DRCOG, DGM, MRCGP
Dr Collyer qualified from Bristol University in 2003 and completed his GP training and Mount Pleasant Health Centre in 2009. He became a partner in 2017 and enjoys teaching medical students. Outside of work he enjoys swimming, racquet sports and walking coastal and Dartmoor walks with his family.
Dr Nina Sandercombe (Female) (She/her)
MRCGP, BSc MBBS
Dr Sandercombe qualified from Peninsula Medical School in 2013 and completed her GP training in the summer of 2018. She has worked in A&E, ENT, Plastics, Stroke, Paediatrics and ICU. Outside of work she enjoys going to the gym, walking her dog and travelling.
Dr Matthew Whaley (Male) (He/him)
MBChB
Dr Whaley graduated from the University of Birmingham Medical School in 2012 and moved to Exeter in 2016 after working in Torbay Hospital. He has worked at Mount Pleasant Health Centre since 2019 and became an equity partner in 2023. Outside of work he enjoys playing his guitar and watching sports.
Dr Yan Shafafi (Male) (He/him)
BSC, MSC, MD, MRCGP
Dr Shafafi completed his GP training in 2017 and joined Mount Pleasant Health Centre in 2018. He became an equity partner in 2023 and enjoys teaching medical students and undertaking minor operation procedures.
Dr James Finn (Male) (He/him)
MRCGP, MBChB
Dr Finn studied at Cardiff University and moved to Exeter for GP training in 2015. He worked in New Zealand and South Africa before joining Mount Pleasant Health Centre in 2020. Outside of work he enjoys surfing, climbing & triathlons.
Dr Heloise Moore-Mate (Female) (She/her)
MBBS, MRCGP, DRCOG
Dr Moore-Mate obtained her (MBBS) with a distinction in Medical Sciences and Clinical Sciences from Kings College in London. She is also a member of the Royal College of General Practitioners (MRCGP) with a Diploma of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (DRCOG).
Dr Emma Parker (Female) (She/her)
MBBS, MA (Cantab) MB BChir
Dr Parker graduated from the University of Cambridge in 2011 and completed her GP training in Exeter. Dr Parker is also a part time tutor at the University of Exeter Medical School, teaching professional development to students. Outside of work she enjoys being with her young family, singing in choir and spending time outdoors.
Dr Carl Harding (Male) (He/Him)
MRCGP, BSc MBBS
Dr Harding qualified from Peninsula Medical School in 2017 and moved to Exeter for GP training in 2020. He worked in Torbay before joining Mount Pleasant Health Centre in August 2022. Outside of work he enjoys playing golf, walking his dogs at the beach, travelling and cooking.
Dr Nada Khan (Female) (She/Her)
MRCGP, BSc MBBS, MSC, DPhil
Dr Khan qualified from Kings College, London, in 2015 and completed her GP training in Exeter. Dr Khan works as an Academic Clinical Lecturer at the University of Exeter and splits her week between the University and Mount Pleasant Health Centre. Dr Khan also is also employed as an Associate Editor at the British Journal of General Practice.
Outside of working she enjoys exploring coasts and moors with her two young children, and spending time surfing and running.
Dr Lucy Oliver (Female) (She/Her)
MRCGP, DRCOG, MBChB
Dr Oliver was born in Plymouth and qualified as a GP in London in 2020. She has been working as a GP since returning to Devon.
Outside of work, Dr Oliver enjoys spending time outdoors, particularly road cycling. She also has a passion for fitness and reading.
Dr Emma Thorne (Female) (She/Her)
MRCGP, BMedSci, BM
Dr Thorne was born in Exeter and studied in Southampton, graduating in 2013.
She initially worked in Emergency Medicine in Exeter and at King’s College Hospital in London, before beginning GP training in 2020. She qualified as a GP in 2026.
Outside of work, Dr Thorne enjoys spending time with her children, dog and chickens. She has a keen interest in keeping active and enjoys running, yoga, climbing, skiing, sea swimming and cycling.
Dr Thorne also works as an OSCE examiner for the Medical School and as a GP in the Exeter Emergency Department.
Nursing
Lead Practice Nurse – Janis
Janis leads the nursing team with skill and compassion; she also works alongside the team seeing patients.
Practice Nurses – Janis, Tina, Beth, Julie, Suzanne, Hannah, Sue, Becka & Laura
These are the nurses qualified to see and treat many of our chronic disease, minor illness and injury patients. Some of these nurses are also qualified to prescribe
Health Care Assistants (HCA) – Karen, Julie, Alison
HCA’s are able to treat minor injury, take blood pressure, and undertake health checks and pre-screening as well as phlebotomy (blood tests)
Nurse Associate – Colette
Nursing associates are registered healthcare professionals who support and deliver routine clinics, providing essential services such as blood tests, vaccinations, cervical screening and health checks to support patients’ health and wellbeing.
General Practice Assistant – Colette & Sarah
General Practice Assistants provide support buy carrying out administrative tasks and a number of basic clinical duties.
Phlebotomist – Debbie
Phlebotomists are trained healthcare professionals who specialise in taking blood samples for laboratory testing. They provide safe, professional and compassionate care, and ensure samples are correctly labelled, handled and prepared for testing.
Administrative Roles
Practice Manager – Philippe
Philippe is responsible for the overall day to day running of the Health Centre and future strategy planning. Philippe also holds multiple other roles across varying health care organisations nationwide.
Finance Manager – Ian
Ian has responsibility and oversight of the Finance of Mount Pleasant Health Centre and also Nexus Primary Care Network.
Practice Administrator – Ali
Ali works tirelessly with GP rotas and timetables as well as system reporting and data collections.
Nursing Administrator – Lorijana
Lori manages all administrative aspects of the nursing department. She is the first point of call for any nursing queries as well as many other general administrative tasks.
Projects Lead – Matt
Matt is responsible for planning, coordinating and delivering projects that improve practice services, patient care and efficiency. He works closely with GPs, clinical and administrative teams, PCNs and other healthcare organisations to implement new initiatives, monitor progress, analyse data, meet NHS requirements and ensure projects are completed effectively.
Reception Team Lead – Catherine
Cath leads the reception team, oversees their rotas, ensures their training is up to date and deals with any minor complaints or issues.
Administration & Compliance Lead – Heather
The administration & compliance lead helps to ensure the practice’s administrative work is safe, efficient and compliant with relevant regulations. Their responsibilities include managing clinical correspondence, coordinating patient referrals, supporting governance and compliance processes and assisting with patient complaints and investigations.
Receptionists/Healthcare Navigators
Our reception team have now been trained as Healthcare Navigators in order to assist GP’s with signposting the patients to the correct service or clinician. In order for this to be effective the navigators are required to ask several questions of the patients who are telephoning to make an appointment, to ensure that the patients are offered the best route available and maximise efficiency for both the patients and the clinicians at the practice.
We currently employ 22 receptionists/healthcare navigators. They are a major part of our team and their role is varied including dealing with the telephones, prescription requests, administrative tasks for both patients and GPs/Nurses as well as welcoming you at the Front desk when you attend the surgery. They will always do their utmost to provide you with the best possible service.
Medical Secretaries – Rose & Heather
This team deals with all of the referrals to Hospitals or elsewhere. Once you have seen a GP, if a referral is required for further treatment, the team will type the referral and process it through to the Devon Referral Service or relevant organisation.
Medical Notes Summarisers
This smaller team is responsible for the medical records coming into the Practice – they will ensure the notes are entered onto the clinical IT system in a clear format, structured to ensure ease of identifying major or minor illness for the clinician using the medical record with the patient.
Additional Roles (Nexus Primary Care Network)
Our practice is supported by a range of healthcare professionals through our Primary Care Network (PCN) Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS). These team members work alongside our GPs and practice staff to provide specialist support and improve access to care.
Additional roles include:
- Clinical Pharmacists
- Pharmacy Technicians
- Health & Wellbeing Coaches
- Social Prescribers
- Care Home Coordinators
- First Contact Practitioner Physiotherapists
- Occupational Therapists
- Dietitians
For more information about the PCN roles who support our practice team, please visit: https://nexuspcn.co.uk/