The GP who has covered mainland Britain’s most north westerly village on his own for 19 years has retired.
Dr Alan Belbin was the single handed GP based in Durness in Sutherland.
Dr Ken Proctor, associate medical director for NHS Highland, said: “Alan’s retirement sees the end of an era in terms of healthcare provision to Durness.
“When Alan was trained it was a time when GPs were expected to join and work in a practice for their whole professional lifetimes. He has given almost two decades of constant service, serving the patients needs around the clock, often for weeks at a time without a break .
“Whatever the new arrangements of care may look like in the future for Durness, it will not distract from the dedication Alan has shown to his community throughout the years.
“Health historians in the future will reflect with some awe, I suspect, on the extraordinary commitment that single-handed doctors gave to their practices during the 20th and early years of the 21st century.”
The practice has now been taken over by NHS Highland with medical services provided by locum cover and support from the Kinlochbervie and Scourie Practice
Bob Silverwood, NHS Highland’s area manager for Caithness and Sutherland, said: “It’s clearly going to be a change for the community and so it’s important that we work together to look at future models.”
But raising wages for north GPs will not solve the region’s recruitment crisis, a Highland MSP has said.
Mary Scanlon was speaking after former GP and member of NHS Highland’s board, Dr Michael Foxley, said that increasing salaries could attract more people to vacant positions in the north.
Latest figures show that 21 posts are unfilled in the Highlands, including two which have been vacant for nearly three years – in Acharacle and Thurso.
GPs salaries are currently in the region of £90,000. But vacancies across the area are continuing to cause problems for the health board, which has admitted that recent moves to fill the gaps have not been successful.