At WONCA Rural, in our many debates on devices to recruit quality doctors to rural and remote areas, we considered numerous topics but five years ago, I accidentally discovered one that we had never thought of. It was very simple....six freshly caught and gutted Mackerel.

One of my many eccentricities is that, on returning from fishing trips.... in my retirement boat (SULA).... I go to any visiting yachts anchored near our house and offer them some Mackerel. One evening, there was a single yacht on the moorings and no one aboard. I wrapped up some Mackerel in double bags and going close to the boat, threw them into the cockpit.

A few weeks later, a letter arrived from London and this was from the yacht skipper. He was writing to thank me for the Mackerel... as, before sailing, he had learned that I was the likely source.

 

In the course of his letter he said that his wife was a GP and retiring early from her practice in London. They were planning to come and live in the Outer Hebrides and probably in the Island of Lewis... which is further north. I immediately replied that Lewis seemed to be well off for GPs but that there was a locum slot in my previous practice in North Uist. Very soon, his wife started the locum and following it she became the part time Associate GP in the practice in South Uist. Five years on and they are still here. They have bought a yacht and combine work with sailing round the magical waters of the Hebrides and the north West of Scotland. Both have become very involved in community affairs in the practice district. It has been a real change for the lady doctor...from being GP "to" a community in London as she is now GP "in" a community in a remote island and with it, she feels a new person.

 

 

  Dr.John .J.Macleod,MBE,DL,FRCGP,FRCP (HonGlasgow),FFCS, Life member WONCA