NUMEROUS patients came along to wish their long-standing family GP at Liphook and Liss Surgery a fond farewell.

A senior partner at the surgery, Dr Barbara Rushton brought to an end more than 30 years of working as a GP when she retired on January 29.

She said: “It was a real emotional rollercoaster of a day. Patients dropped in all afternoon and were telling me stories about the their happy and sad experiences over the years.

“A huge and important chapter of my life has ended and I count myself to have been extremely fortunate to have patients who have been a pleasure to serve.

“Some of my colleagues and fellow doctors also came by to wish me good luck for the future and I even received a retirement card from the Education Secretary, Damian Hinds MP. I am of course not stopping working – I am very much concentrating on my role within the Clinical Commissioning Group.”

Dr Ruston joined the surgery in September 1988 and has been involved in every aspect of health in the community.

In recent years, she was appointed chair of the NHS South Eastern Hampshire Clinical Commissioning Group and last year, she was elected to co-chair the NHS Clinical Commissioners, a shared national role working to influence direction at the highest level with the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England, and she will continue to fulfil both these roles.

Her place has been taken over by Dr Natalie Higham, who joined the surgery as a GP partner in January 2018. She will be working on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. In addition, Dr Rosanna De Cata joined the practice on February and will be working every Tuesday.