Personal Bio
Advanced Practitioner (AP) | Founder, Clinical Lead and Registered Manager, Tamar Health
Tim Needham is the Founder and Registered Manager of Tamar Health. He is an Advanced Practitioner (AP) with over 25 years of experience working within the NHS, delivering frontline clinical care across emergency services, primary care, urgent care, and out-of-hours GP services.
Tim holds a Master’s degree (MSc) alongside a Bachelor’s degree with Honours (BSc Hons) and a Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert), reflecting advanced clinical training and academic practice. He is a qualified Independent Prescriber (IP) and maintains ongoing professional development to ensure care is evidence-based and aligned with current clinical guidance. His additional qualifications include Diploma in Urgent Care (DipUC) and Membership of the Royal College of Paramedics (MRCOP), supporting his senior clinical practice and leadership role.
Tim spent over 20 years working in 999 emergency ambulance services, responding to a wide range of medical and traumatic emergencies. This extensive experience has shaped his calm, structured, and safety-focused approach to clinical decision making. During this time, he also gained experience working within Minor Injury Units, developing skills in the assessment and management of acute injuries, although his long term clinical focus has remained within broader urgent and primary care medicine.
Since 2015, Tim has worked in NHS primary care, supporting patients with assessment, diagnosis, investigation, and treatment of both acute and long-term conditions. He has been performing ear microsuction for over seven years and has carried out minor surgical procedures since 2018, bringing significant procedural expertise to Tamar Health services.
Alongside his clinical work, Tim held a senior management role within an NHS GP surgery from 2018, contributing to leadership, service development, workforce support, and clinical governance. With the launch of Tamar Health, he chose to step back from NHS senior management responsibilities to focus on direct patient care, while continuing clinical work within GP surgeries and the out-of-hours GP service in Cornwall.
As an independent prescriber, Tim regularly supports patients with safe and appropriate prescribing. He is also actively involved in education, acting as a mentor and supervisor for trainee Advanced Practitioners and new prescribers, supporting professional development, prescribing competence, and clinical confidence.
Tim’s approach to care is patient-centred, evidence-based, and pragmatic. He believes in listening carefully, avoiding unnecessary medicalisation, and ensuring patients understand their options clearly. Having worked across emergency, urgent, and primary care, he recognises the importance of balancing reassurance with timely investigation and escalation when needed.
As Clinical Lead and Registered Manager, Tim is responsible for clinical governance, patient safety, and regulatory compliance at Tamar Health. He ensures services are delivered in line with professional standards, current guidance, and best practice, with a strong focus on quality, transparency, and continuous improvement.