GP reflects on 37-year career at Earlsfield Practice

The GP has seen thousands of patients in his time on Steerforth St, and has worked through some of the most testing times for the NHS.

Dr Gordon will be retiring from Earlsfield Practice this month, so the Wandsworth Times caught up with the 73-year-old, to find out about the highs and lows of working in healthcare. 

Dr David Gordon is set to retire in August.

WT: What will you miss most about working in the Earlsfield Practice?

DG: After 37 years I will miss my patients, my colleagues, the routine and the variety of challenges general practice presents.  I have known many of the patients for a very long time, obviously several since they were babies and children.

WT: Do you have any fond memories from your time at the Practice?

DG: Yes, I have very fond memories of my time and years working at the Earlsfield Practice.  I will be sad to leave, it is a huge step to take. I know I will miss practising medicine, it has been my life. Every patient has a unique story to tell.  I feel privileged that so many patients have shared their stories with me and these stories are the memories I will take with me. 

WT: How many patients have you seen over the years?

DG: The practice has grown in size. When I first began working at Earlsfield there were between 5000 - 6000 patients. There are now 13,500 patients registered at the practice and the number of patients is growing with the new housing/ residential developments at Springfield Hospital and around the Wimbledon Greyhound stadium. This is problematic as we have a shortage of consulting rooms and a general lack of space at the present premises.

WT: What were the trials of working in the NHS during Covid?

DG: Working during Covid has been stressful. My sister was hospitalised and very unwell for a long time with Covid fortunately she has made a fair recovery.  I self-isolated for 4 months working from home consulting by telephone which has its limitations. One of my partners encouraged and insisted I work from home.  The pandemic has hastened my retirement as the environment of general practice has changed so much during the past 18 months and of course, I am that much older now, 73 in a couple of weeks time.

Earsfield Pratice on Steerforth St.
The demands are very high. Patients can access general practice in various ways these days. I have anything between 50 to 200 letters a day to read and these often with instructions to refer patients, prescribe new medication, help with housing, the list is endless.  During my early years, it was the patient, the doctor, pen and paper.  There seemed to be more time to spend with a patient. Now it's all technology.

Before computers and mobile phones, there was no appointment system.  Patients walked in and waited their turn to see a GP and often have to spend a very long wait in the waiting room.  I would often see up to 40 to 50 patients a day, sometimes more and often attend to 4 or 5 home visits on some days plus telephone calls.  At that time the GPs were also on-call throughout the night and over the weekend, being on call all weekend, day and night on a rotational basis of one in three.  I don't miss going on visits at night but I miss how consultations have changed.

WT: How will you spend your retirement?

DG: To begin with I am staying for a few weeks in a remote area of Scotland where there is no internet.  This will give me time to think about what next, hopefully without any interruptions. Maybe I will write a book about General Practice.  I may return to Cape Town, my hometown and help with the many who have very little or no access to medicine or to see a GP. In the UK we are extremely fortunate to have the NHS. I hope the NHS continues to always be available to all who really need help with their health.