At Beach Street Family Clinic, providing seamless patient care and enhancing patient outcomes is at the forefront of everything we do. We are also passionate about continued improvement, change and growth, bringing fresh faces to roles to ensure we’re providing our patients the very best care.
In an exciting change for Beach Street, our Practice Manager Lee Hayes will be transitioning to run the front end of the clinic and Sam Smurthwaite will be moving to the Practice Manager position.
So, what does this all mean?
A wealth of experience to the day-to-day running of our quality family care clinic
Lee will bring an astonishing 20 years experience and a unique skill set to the front desk.
Most of these years have been spent as Practice Manager, a role Lee says she’s never taken for granted.
“I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with so many amazing people over the years,” she said.
“It’s a privilege to be trusted with the position by the doctors, staff and patients.”
Lee says one of the most rewarding parts of the role is the clinic’s dedication to the growth and training of new doctors.
“We get to support someone through from a bright and enthusiastic medical student to a caring and capable General Practitioner. Beach Street Family Practice has trained 68 General Practice Registrars to date, and it’s awesome to be a part of that journey,” she said.
While she’s enjoyed every minute of her time as a Practice Manager, Lee says she has really missed the connection with patients.
“The everyday interaction with patients and finishing the day knowing that I’ve made their experience as positive as a visit to the doctor can be is truly fulfilling. I’m really excited to get back to doing that.”
For Lee, Sam has all the qualities of a good leader and the practice is in extremely capable hands.
“Sam was ‘the one’ from our very first meeting. Handing over to her is a comfortable decision for me and the Doctors. I know she is passionate about the practice and staff and will be an amazing Practice Manager.
A new face to the management of your family practice
For Sam, stepping into the Practice Manager position is an exciting and slightly daunting proposition.
“I have very dedicated and knowledgeable shoes to fill!” she said.
“I want to build on the strong legacy established by Lee, Dr Kramer and staff over 40 years. We will continue to place our emphasis on patient care and teaching the Doctors of the future. This will ensure the growing community of Woolgoolga remains in good ‘health’ hands into the future.”
Looking forward, Sam says her priority will be equipping the team with the support they need to continue to grow and support their ever-expanding client base.
“The health industry is rapidly evolving and it is an interesting and exciting time to be guiding our staff through these changes,” she said.
“My immediate priority is to continue the work Lee and the Beach Street Family practice have been developing. I also want to embed in our practice team a cohesiveness that meets these industry challenges while placing an emphasis on business growth through staff training and education and policy development.”
“We have a great team around us, from multiple walks of life, but we all contribute. This is why we really are a family at Beach Street Family Practice.”
What Beach Street will continue to deliver to you and our community
From our front desk warriors to our managers steering the ship, the entire team at Beach Street Family Practice remains dedicated to working with you to achieve your health and wellness goals. We have been looking after the local community for over 30 years, providing high-quality healthcare with compassion and professionalism. Plus, we’re not just your local family practice, we’re active members of the community, supporting many local community initiatives that you know and love.
New to the area or looking to switch GPs? We would love to welcome you into the Beach Street Family Practice family! Call us today on
(02) 66 54 1282 to book an appointment or pop in to see us for a friendly chat!