The GP Awards 2025 shortlist: Nicky Trenaman, St Thomas Medical Group

Setting up a home visiting team at St Thomas Medical Group in Exeter has saved GP time and provided a much-needed service for vulnerable patients. This is the latest article from the Nursing Award shortlist ahead of this year’s General Practice Awards ceremony, taking place on 5 December at the Novotel London West in Hammersmith.

At St Thomas Medical Group in Exeter, nurse practitioner Nicky Trenaman leads a dedicated home visiting team that supports housebound patients and care home residents through proactive, person-centred care.

Over the past 12 months, she has expanded the service further – developing a frailty pathway, introducing comprehensive geriatric assessments (CGAs), and ensuring vulnerable patients receive high-quality, holistic reviews in their own homes.

‘It’s been really fulfilling to get to see the people who haven’t had the chance to come into the surgery,’ she says. ‘We’re offering this service now to those who are housebound, as well as conducting acute visits for patients who are too unwell to make it in.’

Working closely with the GP lead for frailty, Ms Trenaman has helped embed CGAs into routine care. The model brings together long-term condition management, medication reviews and planning around issues such as treatment escalation and lasting power of attorney.

Supported by a healthcare assistant who handles initial checks and observations, she then follows up with in-depth reviews.

‘That’s been a really fulfilling part of the job – something we didn’t realise was missing until we started doing it,’ she says.

The home visiting team also runs regular ward rounds at local care homes, where staff and residents now enjoy direct and consistent access to a known clinical team.

Everyone on the team is a prescriber, which has helped streamline care and reduce delays. Weekly planning meetings with named GPs ensure continuity.

‘We’ve taken pressure off the GPs and been allowed to run with this team, and they’ve found it hugely beneficial to get back some of their time,’ says Ms Trenaman. ‘We can get on with the job as well.’

She has also led the introduction of flu and Covid vaccinations into the service, reducing demand on practice nurses and supporting patients through trusted relationships.

Team members are supported through prescribing courses and inductions, and Ms Trenaman has welcomed students and registrars into the service for community placements.

Colleagues describe her as professional, approachable and deeply committed to improving care. One GP partner commented: ‘Nicky has created an excellent, responsive and robust service that offers continuity for patients and a high standard of clinical care.’

Another added: ‘She really pushed the frailty project forwards, and it’s great to see the system now up and running.

‘A whole group of vulnerable patients now get a regular medical sort-out – her assessments make a real difference.’

Reflecting on the shortlisting, Ms Trenaman says: ‘I’d be immensely proud to win. It came as a massive shock that they’d even nominated me – I’m just doing my job.

‘But it would mean a huge amount to know that the work, the time and effort, and the study behind it, had been recognised.’

This is one of 7 nurses or nursing teams shortlisted at the General Practice Awards. The winners will be revealed at the awards ceremony on Friday 5 December at the Novotel London West. If you’d like to be there on the night you can find out more here and book tickets here.

The GP Awards 2025 shortlist: Nicky Trenaman, St Thomas Medical Group

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