My name is Jeanette. I have the role of Practice Manager and have been involved in this practice for over 7 years, firstly on a part time basis initially but gradually progressing to the full time role it is now.

My role is a challenging and varied one, never knowing what the day will bring. It is also stimulating.

I have two teenage children and so my feet never stop dancing! I am also a great sports enthusiast and look forward to the day when my golfing urge can be more satisfied.

I have a background of many years in the medical field and in the world of real estate, having run my own business. I find the common denominator in my working life has been the pleasure derived from people. In the medical field this is particularly so, as so much satisfaction is gained from the manner in which we can help people in this practice.

I find a great deal of my time is in liaison – with health professionals, patients, and those involved in the other aspects of burgeoning projects created by Prem’s active mind!

My name is Jan. I have a very satisfying role in the practice as Receptionist/Medical Secretary. I joined the practice when Prem first came to Port Macquarie in 1998. We were initially accommodated in the Base Hospital. Since then, the practice has grown from strength to strength and it continues to be a pleasure to come to work each day!

My role is an interesting one – because of the variety of people whom we encounter, and the fact that Prem has always encouraged all staff members to be totally involved, with a credo of attending to the patients as if they were an important member of our family. This makes for very satisfying outcomes. I consider that we aim at all times for the best possible practice, and this standard does make me very proud to be involved.

Our Bladder Care Clinic was created by Prem with a vision of what it would be today, and I still shake my head in amazement at what has been achieved - an outstanding service for our patients with great nurses and superb care for our patients and the problems that can arise.

My previous work experience over MANY years has been in health, tourism, publishing and…so on. I do find that the health area has a great deal of job satisfaction as you can see a direct and positive benefit immediately to those involved.

My day to day tasks involve ensuring that our reports regarding the patients are sent out quickly to their local doctors, referring specialists, etc, that our interaction with the patients is attended to in a mutually positive manner, that we plan to help our patients in any way that we can, and the general routine administrative tasks that are involved in a busy practice.

We are most fortunate in our work environment, overlooking our garden and trees, with the occasional visit from a wandering winged or waddling creature.

My name is Coral. I am very new to the practice having commenced in January, 2010. I am happily married with a sixteen year old daughter.

My working career has been wide and varied, working in retail, travel, and real estate and of course medical. For the past ten years I have been employed by General Practioners in Kempsey.

I thoroughly enjoy working in the medical field as it comes with immense job satisfaction, I really love being able to help patients in any way that I can.

I feel very fortunate to work in a specialist field, for someone as highly regarded as A/Prof. Prem Rashid. Working in a field such as this gives a new concept to medical terminology. There is so much for me to learn and no two days are the same in this very busy practice. I am sure that there is much more to come for me to learn but with the help of all the wonderful people around me I hope to pass with flying colours!!

My name is Ann. I have been a member of the urology team for the past 8 years as a Urology Nurse consultant. With a background of 20 years nursing in various fields such as general nursing, midwifery, neonatal intensive care, general practice nursing and continence management I bring a varied cache of skills to the service.

Nine years ago I moved to Port Macquarie and during the first year was studying continence management externally. To compliment my studies, I spent some time on a practical attachment with Prem Rashid who that very year was trialling the role of a Bladder Care nurse. As they say “the rest was history”!!! I began working one day a week as the only nurse and now we have a team of three nurses with two nurses working almost every day.

As the urology service has grown over the years, I find the expansion of my urology role in both knowledge and skills most interesting and challenging. Working within a team that delivers a professional high standard of care is important to my work ethic. Here at the centre, I am constantly impressed with the care, compassion and respect everyone receives from the time they walk through the door whether it be from the reception staff to the nurses to Prem himself. It is an internal philosophy that we all live by.

I am humbled by Prem’s belief how our friendly, energetic, conscientious and organised manner contributes to the smooth running and high level of morale at the centre which then overflows to those receiving our urology services. The patient at 5pm is treated as cheerily at the patient who is seen at 9am.This area of health need can be embarrassing and debilitating so we feel that the client needs to know that someone is there as their advocate for treatment, information and as a resource for them.

On a personal note, I am happily married to Martin with three older teenagers Madeleine, Oliver and Sarah. On time out I love spending time with family and anything in the outdoors including camping, waterskiing, playing touch football and beaching.

My name is Merrilyn, and I am a registered nurse, urological nurse consultant and continence nurse advisor. I have been with the practice since August 2007 but began working with Prem doing urological procedures in diagnostic radiology in 2003.

My role in consulting with the patients is to take their history, find out how their continence issues affect their day to day lives, develop a management plan that helps to alleviate or cure their issues. If a cure is not possible, then advice is given on strategies that help to make life better. Often simple lifestyle and fluid intake changes can make a great difference. Conservative measures such as bladder retraining and pelvic floor exercises can get things on the road to a cure. Some medications can also be helpful in improving incontinence.

I discuss the anatomy and mechanics of bladder function and this information often empowers our patients to better understand what is going on in their bodies.

Those patients co-managed by Prem for bladder and prostate issues may be counseled, along with their family members, some conditions requiring surgery and others being able to be managed conservatively. Advice is given on how to manage the various stages of their treatment.

Conditions can range from incontinence, overactive bladder, benign (non cancerous) prostate enlargement (BPH), prostate cancer surgery, and erectile dysfunction. Of course these are very sensitive and personal issues which can take a great deal of courage for the patient to openly discuss – naturally patient confidentiality is always paramount.

Our follow up with patients is an important part of a patient’s recovery - we can assess how their management plan is progressing and if any adjustments need to be implemented, keeping their family doctor well informed, as well as the patient.

I enjoy working in this practice because it is a very friendly environment, everyone feeling part of a team, in a very pleasant environment with comfortable facilities and equipment. There is often laughter heard from the kitchen at lunchtime (quite loudly sometimes!), and there can be the same coming from the consult rooms when possible – we are of course professional in our approach but laughter really helps, too.

My name is Ken. While the medically qualified people in this centre concentrate on what makes the human body tick, my role involves examining what makes the practice tick- financially. An ex career bank manager with 5 children and a wonderful wife, I have a healthy appetite for sport, in particular soccer, cricket, tennis and surfing, I commenced my involvement with Prem and his team in April 2009 providing book keeping services.

I am thoroughly enjoying the challenges which each weekly visit bring and look forward to a long association rubbing shoulders with the very friendly and committed staff members, who have welcomed me so openly.

My name is Rachel. My role at the Urology Centre is in a Management capacity assisting in the operational aspects.

Whilst I no longer have direct patient contact, it sometimes is the background running of a business that allows the ‘front-end’ to run smoothly. Staff and business management are foremost in my mind. Prem has a significant clinical commitment but in addition to that, seems to have endless energy and is a quintessential multi-tasker. He is involved with urological education, publishes and is a committed father and husband. It is co-ordinating his endless energy that is perhaps the thing we all do best. The Centre is designed and operates on a philosophy that everyone who walks in the door is a ‘customer’ and needs to feel enriched by their association. This includes, the staff, other doctors and their staff and the endless array of service providers and of course, patients of the Centre no matter which urologist they may be seeing.