Meet the Team

Dr Bethapudi has been a qualified GP since 2009 and is a postgraduate GP trainer, appraiser and local Macmillan GP.  His areas of interest include cardiovascular disease, cancer and medical education.

After being elected as an executive GP for Sunderland CCG in 2016, Dr Bethapudi continues to serve as a member of the CCG Governing Body. Working as the Chief Clinical Information Officer (CCIO) for Sunderland CCG, a role that helps implement the NHS digital strategy locally,  Dr Bethapudi is passionate about driving technological innovation in practices and making General Practice more sustainable.

He also represents RCGP NE as a faculty board member. Outside medicine, being a married dad of two boys, playing cricket, practicing yoga and meditation keeps him well occupied.

Dr Sagi has been a GP since 2006 and has completed MRCGP from Northumbria VTS.  He has a special interest in dealing with complex diabetes patients. He has also previously worked at Sunderland hospital in Gastroenterology and Diabetes specialities, treating patients who were referred for specialist input from Primary care.  

Dr Sagi has completed Diploma in Diabetes from University of Sunderland, Diploma in Palliative care from Teesside University and Diploma in Respiratory Diseases in Primary care from Teesside University. Apart from GP clinical sessions, Dr Sagi performs Joint injections and has an interest in teaching Medical students.  

He is also interested in process mapping aiming at improving efficiency in Primary care and building up system resilience. Outside medicine,  Dr Sagi enjoys staying fit by going to the gym and cycling regularly. 

He also likes reading books on management, leadership and resilience along with spending time with family when time permits

Dr. Hegde qualified as a GP in August 2020, and is the women’s health lead at the practice. 

In addition to fitting coils and implants, Dr. Hegde specialises in all aspects of women’s health and general practice. She is actively involved in teaching medical students and currently teaches year 4 and 5 medical students and she also does weekly care home ward rounds as part of MDT meetings.  

Currently, Dr. Hegde is pursuing a Masters in Diabetes and has a keen interest in dealing with patients with diabetes within the primary care setting.

Dr Shelley completed MRCGP in 2020 after going through the graduate entry medical program at Newcastle University, working in Durham and Darlington Hospitals and completing the Northumbria VTS. 

Prior to this he studied chemistry at Oxford University and worked as a teacher in Japan and China. He has an interest in education, clinical informatics and joint injections.

Dr Schofield graduated from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1997, completed the MRCGP in 2001 and has worked as a GP in Sunderland since then. Interests in medicine include women and children’s health and dermatology. Outside medicine, Dr Schofield enjoys spending time with her family, watching her sons play sport and walking on the beach.

Dr Choi has been a Sunderland GP since 1990. He held lead roles in Cancer and Diabetes and varies management role within PCT and CCG in Sunderland for almost 2 decades. His other interests include joint injection and minor surgery. Dr Choi received the Sunderland and South Tyneside GP of the Year Award in May 2017.

Dr Olofinjana is a highly motivated individual who qualified as a GP in August 2023 although he has been at the practice since August 2022 while he was a GP registrar.

He has a passion for elderly care and frailty and he is currently the frailty lead in the practice. Dr Olofinjana also has an avid interest in medical education.

He currently teaches the year 3 medical students in the practice.

Outside medicine, Dr Olofinjana enjoys travelling the world
and spending time with family.

I qualified in 1985 and have had a varied career, even working is prison. I started working in primary care in 1999 as a practice nurse helping patient manage their chronic disease.

In 2005 and I moved to the North east and started my career ambition to progress to ANP level by completing my clinical skills, prescribing and many other courses.

I joined the Galleries Medical Practice 4 years ago and settled in the the role of ANP since then and I work 3 days a week at present