Dr. Claire Balysz

Dr Claire Balysz is a GP at Sarum Health Group, in Salisbury. This is a GMS practice spread over two sites and providing care for roughly 10,000 patients.

Dr Balysz manages a broad spectrum of symptoms and diagnosis which occur in general practice. She has experience in being  deputy clincial director of a large Primary Care Network, prescribing lead, clinical governance lead, safeguarding lead for adults and children, mental health and mental capacity act lead. lead for complex patients (as part of a multi-disciplinary team,). As part of her clinical governance role Dr Balysz dealt with all complaints concerning clinical care of individual patients or complaints about practice systems, she is experienced in comparing the care given with the relevant NICE guidelines.

She has a particular interest in patients presenting with complex safeguarding needs such as self neglect, hoarding and cognitive impairment. She is responsible for capacity assessments, best interest’s decisions and covert medication decisions.

As well as being the clinical lead for child safeguarding. Dr Balysz has experience with child and adolescent patients with poor mental health, ranging from poor mental wellbeing to undiagnosed ADHD and suicidal patients.

Dr Balysz is Clinical lead at the Dorset Sarc and was appointed with a view to investigating why the rates of referrals for paediatric cases are significantly below the national average and ensuring that the referal processes are robust. This has involved working with the police, social services, the NHS commissioners and educational establishments in Dorset. She is  also involved with the National Working Group which is looking at tackling Child Sexual Exploitation and Rasso.

Dr Balysz was HM Assistant Coroner, Wiltshire and Swindon for eleven yeaars from Sep 2009 - Nov 2020. She was the only medically qualified coroner in the jurisdiction, advising on reported deaths if needed and concluded a variety of inquests including all deaths where the deceased was patient at the time of death. This led to some complex and fascinating cases, including some Article 2 inquests and some which have resulted in regulation 28 reports. She held inquests on at least 2 days a month, these often involved counsel and some were jury inquests. As a result she has considerable courtroom experience and experience of working through medical notes and statements.

level 4 safeguarding

Bond Solon Excellence in report writing, courtroom skills and cross examination.

MRCGP. Dr Balysz is chair of a working party (Children’s and Young person’s Engagement Group) whose remit is to improve the engagement of children and young people with the SARC and to look at the education given to children through their educational establishment about capacity and consent. Dr Balysz is a member of the expert witness group (FFLM) and is working alongside of Dorset Police in RASSO.