A DOCTOR from Bolton has been celebrated in the Queen's New Honour's list.

GP Dr Tracey Vell has been awarded an MBE for her services to primary care.

The former Canon Slade pupil, who grew up in the Sharples area, said: "It was a surprise, I have known for a month but have had to keep it a secret, which wasn’t easy.

“It is really great to have received the MBE and to see primary care recognised and hopefully inspires young doctors to become GPs, of which there is a shortage.”

Dr Vell, who attended High Lawn Primary School, is the chief executive of the Manchester Local Medical Committee — which looks after the needs of local GPs — and associate lead on primary and community care for Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership.

Dr Vell, a GP in Manchester, received the award for the work in transforming health and social care under the devolution programme. General practice is currently undergoing reform by improving access including urgent access and allowing for more care to be delivered closer to a patient's home concentrating on population health and prevention by GPs working in different ways.

She was the first in her family to enter the medical profession having studied medicine at Leicester University.

Dr Vell said: “I had always wanted to be a doctor since being young. My sister followed me into the profession. After studying at Leicester University I came back to Greater Manchester where I am proud to work.

Dr Vell has practised as a GP in the city of Manchester for 24 years and continues to do so and lives in Cheshire.

She is the second doctor with connections to Bolton to be honoured this way. Dr Jacqueline Bene, the chief executive of Bolton NHS Foundation Trust and a practising consultant physician within trust, has been honoured for services to healthcare with an OBE.