Martin Middleton has been part of Eyam Surgery’s leadership for over a decade, playing a pivotal role in the Practice Management Team. With a varied career and deep-rooted family ties to the practice, Martin brings a unique blend of operational expertise and personal passion to the role.
Here, he shares his journey in his own words:
"I’ve had quite a varied career. After getting a degree in Information Systems in the early ’90s, I worked in Liverpool – first at a local newspaper, then at a marketing company in St Helens, where I took on my first management role. That was a huge learning curve. After that, I ran bars and restaurants, then a construction company before everything changed in 2008 during the economic crisis.
"That’s when I decided to do something completely different. I’d always known Eyam Surgery – my mother worked here for over 30 years and my sister is now the district nurse lead – so when a dispenser role came up, I joined. I knew the dispensary manager was due to leave soon, so I trained up, clocked the 1,000 hours needed, and eventually stepped into that role.
"Alongside that, I started supporting the then Practice Manager with systems and operations. Cassie (now my co-manager) and I developed a good working relationship, splitting responsibilities before officially taking on a joint management role in 2019. Between us, we covered practice management, dispensing, strategic planning, and more.
"Since then, the surgery’s been through a lot – including the departure of a long-standing GP partner, a global pandemic, and five CQC inspections between 2019 and 2023. We’ve had to be resilient, flexible, and united as a team.
"Last year, DHU Healthcare took over the surgery. That transition came with some challenges, particularly around aligning systems and culture, but also many positives. We’ve gained stability, expertise, and the ability to finally move ahead with long-overdue projects – like refurbishments and CCTV installations.
"It’s been a year of change, but we’re getting there. Our team is strong, our services are solid, and we’re proud of the care we continue to deliver. There’s still some work to do, but with DHU’s support and our team’s dedication, I’m confident we’re heading in the right direction."