Farewell as practice staff start new lives
Tributes as pair move on
Fond farewells were said to two well-known faces at Crieff Medical Centre recently.
Dr Stuart Evans has left after 18 years’ service to the community while Jill Hall, manager of the Blue Practice, has retired after five years at the King Street healthcare hub.
Senior GP partner, Dr Hamish Dougall, paid tribute to his departing colleagues.
He said: “We wish Stuart continued success as he moves on and wish Jill a very happy retirement.
“Both have been very great colleagues, particularly through this last year when we have had unprecedented levels of demand for our services in extraordinary times.”
The Blue Practice has kept its doors open throughout the pandemic and continues to see patients every day who either need to be seen by a GP at the medical centre or through a home visit.
Covid measures, to keep both patients and staff safe, mean that around 500 weekly consultations are now handled by telephone.
Anyone looking for clinical advice is advised to phone 01764 652 283 before 11am whenever possible.
Meanwhile, NHS Tayside recently announced its vaccination teams have now delivered more than 350,000 vaccines
against Covid-19 – meaning almost twothirds of adults in Tayside have now received the first of their two required doses.
A spokesperson for the region’s health board explained the programme has also seen more than one third of adults in the region receive both jabs.
The next phase of the vaccination drive is now under way and the aim is to offer a vaccine to all adults under 50 by the end of July.
Invitations for 40 to 49 year-olds are currently being issued and everyone in this age group should be offered an appointment by the end of May.
Letters will be sent to the address registered with GP practices so residents are being urged to check their surgery has the correct details.
Those who have recently moved, or think their details may be out of date with their surgery, have been asked to ensure their details have been updated.
Anyone unable to attend an appointment is asked to reschedule in advance to ensure time slots can potentially be allocated to other people.
Information on how to change an appointment through the national booking system is available in the letter.
Regarding updates on second doses,
the NHS Tayside spokesperson said: “If you are in priority groups one to nine – which includes people aged over 50, frontline health and social care workers, care home staff and residents, people who are shielding, unpaid carers and those under 65 with certain health conditions – and have not yet received an invitation, you can complete the missed invitations form at https://invitations.vacs.nhs.scot/
“Those who have been vaccinated should continue to follow FACTS as it will take time to establish the impact of the vaccines on transmission of the virus.”
For more information, visit nhsinform. scot/covid19vaccine.