GP retires after more than four decades of care

Dr Christine Young retired as a GP on Friday after caring for patients at The Willow Practice for 27 years.
Dr Christine Young (front, centre) will colleagues from The Wilow Practice as they celebrate her retirement. Pic: Craig HalkettDr Christine Young (front, centre) will colleagues from The Wilow Practice as they celebrate her retirement. Pic: Craig Halkett
Dr Christine Young (front, centre) will colleagues from The Wilow Practice as they celebrate her retirement. Pic: Craig Halkett

Dr Young qualified as a doctor in 1984 and joined Dr Kenneth Russell at the Viewpark practice six years later.

She said: “Although I’m originally from East Kilbride I wasn’t familiar with Viewpark, but it’s been a nice area to work in, I’ve had a lot of good support from the patients as well as working alongside some great colleagues over the years.”

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Had things been different Dr Young may have cared for animals instead of people.

She said: “I couldn’t decide whether to be a vet or a doctor, but my minister at the time said he couldn’t imagine me lifting a cow, so that made up my mind and I’m glad about the way things worked out.”

Dr Young revealed how the job has changed over the years, and says this won’t be the last patients see of her.

She said: “There’s a lot more technology of course, patients are living longer so have more complex conditions and treatments have changed as our knowledge increases; we also have responsibility for nursing homes and things hospitals used to do.

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“I’ll not miss the paperwork, but I will miss the people, it’s such a rewarding job I don’t want to give it up completely so I’ll be back in a few weeks as a locum for the school holidays.

“Until then I intend to do next to nothing other than spend time with my parents and volunteer at my church.”

Dr Kenneth Ferguson started at the practice this week.

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