Town GP to retire after 27 years (From Warrington Guardian)

Town GP to retire after 27 years

8:00am Tuesday 5th March 2013 in News

AFTER more than 27 years service in the town, Dr Ian Wilson has announced he is retiring on Friday.

The senior partner at the Guardian Medical Centre has said he will miss the patients, who have helped him collect nearly 400 charity pin badges on one of his old work jackets.

The 56-year-old, who started working at Bold Street, said: “I feel mixed about leaving as I still enjoy seeing patients because it’s why I got into medicine but all the paperwork drags you down.

“It feels strange because I’m only a GP but I’ve had a lot of patients saying they want to say goodbye which is nice that people appreciate what you have done.

“I started off with an NSPCC badge because my wife was doing some work with them about 15 years ago and then got a few more charity badges and patients would start bringing them in for me.

“I have bought about half for different charities and half have been given by patients but it got so heavy i couldn’t wear it so now it’s been framed.”

Born in Barrow in Furness, Dr Wilson qualified at Manchester University before moving to Stockton Heath.

The husband to Pauline for 32 years and dad to Jacqueline, aged 25, is now looking forward to six weeks of holidays in America and Hawaii.

He says the job has changed a lot since he started including increasing pressure in work loads and complexity of patients’ problems.

He added: “The work load has stepped up but it goes with the territory and the one thing general practice has always been good at is adapting to whatever has been thrown at you.

“When I came for my interview I got a bit lost in the town centre and the people I met asking for directions were really friendly but that’s what Warrington is about.”

Dr Wilson will be saying goodbye during a special open afternoon at the surgery on Thursday, from 3pm to 5pm and a collection will also be raising cash for St Rocco’s Hospice.