Retirement of Dr Garlick
27th March 2008
Hereford Times
‘It has been a privilege to have served such a varied, resilient and supportive community’
Dr Peter Garlick discovered Herefordshire when he was a medical student at the County Hospital. Like many before him he fell in love with this rural corner of England and decided it was the place in which to carve out his future medical career.
That was 32 years ago and at the end of the month Dr Garlick is retiring after long and distinguished service as a GP with the Much Birch surgery.
Over the years he has made many friends among the families of 4,600 patients in his 100 sq mile patch, sharing many of their highs and lows over the years.
"There are too many memories to list here but the overall impression of the last 32 years is one of enormous privilege to have served such a varied, resilient and supportive community," he said. "All the surveys and audits tell us that we provide a high standard of general practice but this can only happen with the mutual respect and co-operation of our patients. I thank every one of you for providing me with such a rewarding career."
Dr Garlick, who is retiring as senior partner, paid tribute to the support and loyalty of his partners and staff at the Much Birch surgery and said district nurses, health visitors and midwives had been a pleasure to work with. Retirement, he said, would not be an excuse for putting his feet up, more an opportunity to do the things he thought about every day but never had the time for.
The first thing he plans to do is to undertake a pilgrimage walk to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, which will take five to six weeks.
"It will give me ample opportunity for reflection on the wonderful last 32 years," he said.
But before that there will be a tea party in Much Birch Village Hall on Saturday, April 19, between 2pm and 4pm, when all are welcome to pay tribute to what the organisers call Dr Garlick's "exemplary service to patients, to the practice and to the wider medical community over 32 years".