PETERCULTER MEDICAL PRACTICE

THE practice team worked hard over the Autumn and Winter, finally achieving our Practice Accreditation award in April. This is essentially a confirmation that we have met a (large!) series of quality standards concerning clinical care, practice management and organisation, and team working. Full credit is due to the entire team for all the huge effort that has gone into making this project a success; an important feature of this is that we now work to maintain these good standards and build on them as we undertake further development in the future.

We have several staff developments to report. Dr Owen will be starting her maternity leave in mid-May, and we wish her and her husband all the best for their forthcoming delivery. While she is on leave Dr Stuart Duncan, Dr Mike Pratt and (from August) Dr Caroline Howarth will be working regularly as locums. Dr Howarth sits her General Practice examinations in May and June, and we wish her every success with these. Dr Peter Murchie now works with us every Wednesday at the practice - he has a research post at the University and has one day in clinical practice as part of his schedule.

New staff members include Mrs Sandy Styles, who joins the treatment room nursing team, and Mrs Ann Traverse who is our Systems Coordinator, a new post dedicated to spearheading our data management, audit activities and IT support for clinical work. Mrs Angela Falconer has been attached to the practice as a secondment from her college course, and has been working hard learning office skills. Mrs Mary Scott will be joining the treatment room nursing team in May. Last month we said goodbye to Mrs Nancy Jackson who has been a senior secretary with the practice for many years - we wish her and her husband a very happy retirement.

That's all our main news for now. Do please remember to book early for any summer travel immunisations and advice.

Dr Douglas Harris