Peterculter Medical Practice

AT THE time of writing this article, we are in the middle of major resurfacing work in the main car park. The surface has been deteriorating steadily over the past year or so and is desperately in need of repair. The old garages at the bottom of the car park have been demolished and removed in order to make a little more space available. Hopefully the disruption during the works will be short­lived, and certainly worth it.

We will be welcoming Dr Suresh Arunachalam to the practice in August as our new GP registrar; he will be spending a year with us, completing his training for general practice. Originally from India where he qualified in medicine, he has been working in Aberdeen over the past 2 years gaining experience in the hospital specialities prior to his year in practice. He is happy (indeed recommends from experience!) that he is known locally as `Dr Suresh'.

Dr Ian Thompson was successful in completing his final examinations (congratulations!) and will be moving to Danestone in September to work as an assistant in the medical practice there.

Our new receptionist is Mrs Helen Shaw, a welcome addition to our team as practice life gets ever busier! Our dental colleagues Mrs Suzanne Adams & team started work at the health centre in early August and we wish them well. In the community nurse team, our newest member is Aileen McHardy, and Lesley Moir is now based permanently with us. Two colleagues who have been associated with the practice for some time and are now based within the health centre premises are Mrs Jane Steel, Occupational Therapist and Mrs Frances Malcolm, Social Work Care Manager; it has been a significant advantage having them work physically closer like this and certainly makes communication a lot easier in both directions.

Along with the cooling weather conditions, many of you who experience hay fever will be glad to see the symptoms abating now. It has seemed a particularly troublesome summer this year, presumably in part related to hotter dry weather earlier in the season. Centre. Our flu vaccination programme will be kicking off again later in the autumn - watch out for details.

Best wishes

Dr Douglas Harris