'Short-term' Highland Perthshire GP bids farewell to practice after three successful decades

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A rural GP has said goodbye to his Pitlochry practice after his initial short-term contract extended to over 31 years. Dr David Leaver came to Pitlochry at the beginning of 1990 for what, at that point, was meant to be a one-year contract to gain experience in rural general practice.

On taking up the post in Pitlochry, Dr Leaver had expected to return to England after a year to resume his hospital career in children’s medicine but, unlike his name, he did not move on.

The kind GP was to become a trusted and well-kent face in North Perthshire. “Somehow at the end of 2021, after nearly 32 years, four children and more than a few grey hairs later, I find that I am still in Pitlochry and retiring from medicine,” he said in December.Sat-nav, mobile phones and computer health records have been innovations to arrive since Dr Leaver started. “Much has changed in Pitlochry over the years,” he smiled. “In 1990 the practice was based in Toberargan Surgery, a small building opposite to Knockendarroch Hotel, which has since been turned into flats.“The surgery also looked after Pitlochry Irvine Memorial Hospital, which was a little further up the hill, and had two wards with 23 beds, a 24-hour casualty unit, X-ray facilities and a wide range of out-patient clinics.“However, technology in the surgery had not really progressed since the advent of the landline telephone.

There was no photo-copier or fax and the internet or mobile phones were yet to come.“All medical records were written on small ‘Lloyd George’ sheets, like post cards, which were kept together in a small card sleeve.