After training in General Medicine, Diabetes and Endocrinology at the
Western and Royal Infirmaries, Glasgow, I was appointed Consultant Physician at
the Vale of Leven Hospital in 1986. I thoroughly enjoyed both the friendly
social environment and the clinical challenges associated with the hospital’s
geographical position and its small size. I had some involvement in clinical
management but contact with patients was more rewarding. The Vale’s size was
eventually accepted as being against the preservation of a full General
Medicine service and retirement became attractive when the full reduction in
the service became imminent. After a further 5 months covering my post as a
locum, I stopped clinical work completely in September 2009 and moved to Cardiff where Liz is
working. I have still been examining in PACES, but I think the time may have
come to stop doing this too.
Personal Details
Liz & I married in 1973 and have had 3 children. Andrew took a job as
a Software Engineer in Manchester.
Fiona combines Physiotherapy with a job with Navigators, a Christian
organisation. Heather is an Architectural Assistant with W Dunbarton Council,
accumulating experience towards Part Three of her Architecture degree. Sadly,
Andrew died from a pulmonary embolism in 2007 at the age of 30 despite having
no known risk factors other than long hours at a VDU. He is greatly missed by
all the family and a large number of friends. Liz had been appointed to a Virology
post in Cardiff
and started there just before Andrew’s death. With much use of cheap flights
over the next 29 months until I retired fully we only missed 2 or 3 weekends
together. Current interests are hill walking and scrambling, skiing, cycling,
tennis, bird watching and music.
