A WELL-KNOWN face in any community is that of the local family doctor.

Dr Geoffrey Hall, who practices at Bridge Street surgery, Otley, is bidding goodbye to

colleagues and patients he has worked closely with for 25 years, before heading off to a new life in Spain.

Dr Hall has built up many friendships in the time has been in the town, and found working as a general practitioner has given him an almost unique insight into the people of the area.

He started work at Bridge Street Surgery in 1975, after becoming disillusioned with his career as a hospital doctor. One of the things he most enjoys about being a GP is meeting and dealing with a wide range of people from all walks of life, and working out how their individual lifestyles and anxieties affect their health.

He said: "It's interesting because of the wonderful people who are almost consistently cheerful and brave in the face of adversity, and it's the fascination of diagnosis. You never know what's walking through the door."

Born and brought up in Lancashire, Dr Hall studied at Leeds University, and worked at hospitals in Leeds, Nottingham and London before deciding to become a GP.

"I was thinking of emigrating to Canada. I put my house up for sale, then realised it was not being in Yorkshire that was the problem, it was my job," he said.

He found he had more

interest in working with and understanding people, and

preferred the holistic approach to patients' health adopted by GPs rather than the more

scientific methods, including testing patients, often relied upon by hospital doctors.

Although he found people often feel unwell for very individual and personal reasons such as work-related or relationship-related stress, he also found similarities between his patients.

He believes male patients generally find it harder to cope with illness and having to visit a doctor.

He said: "Men don't like coming to a doctor because they like to think they've been able to look after themselves all of their lives. Women have to deal with doctors from an

earlier age for pregnancy, childbirth and contraception, then taking their children to the doctor. They are used to

doctors. Men don't concede they need help and are sometimes embarrassed to ask for help."

Getting to the root of what makes his patients tick has made Dr Hall of the best-placed people to understand what lies at the heart of the community.

Of Otley people he said: "They have a slightly dark sense of humour, they are down to earth, plain-speaking and affectionate. You realise as a doctor that you receive as much care as you give. If I am ever off ill, I spend weeks

reassuring my patients that I am well."

Dr Hall has come to know a great many people in the area, not only through his role as a GP, and working part-time at Wharfedale General Hospital, but also through his sporting activities.

His first love is cycling, but he has also been a member of several sports groups, including Leeds Mountaineering Club and Ilkley Harriers.

This has inevitably led to him having to break bad news to friends as his patients - he has had to tell friends they are terminally ill.

"It's always uncomfortable telling people they have a

serious illness, but the most important thing is for doctors to be truthful. The people I look after know I never keep anything back from them," he said.

Although he has always loved his job, Dr Hall is looking forward to retiring to Spain, where he plans to work part-time at a private surgery.

"I have had 25 very very happy years as a GP in Otley and I wouldn't have changed it for the world. But I just wish I was leaving the best health

service in Europe instead of leaving what is probably the worst," he said.

Sadly, Dr Hall became disillusioned with his job, amid the growing tide of administrative work, and the difficulty he has faced in getting patients through growing waiting lists for specialist treatment.

"We have a general funding shortfall and waiting lists for most services have become longer," said Dr Hall.

He feels the lack of facilities for cancer treatment let down patients in this country, and is concerned about the reorganisation of Leeds Hospitals. He feels creating specialist hospitals means patients will be transferred from one to the other, while communication between doctors may break down and patient records go astray.

Another concern of his has been the increasing traffic

pollution in Otley.

Dr Hall said his asthma has been badly affected by the fumes in Otley town centre, and he is concerned that while traffic reduction measures have been implemented in city centres, pollution is growing in smaller towns.

Many people in the town will be upset to see him go.

"I have had people in the surgery in tears, and I've had presents and cards, but I assure patients that the young doctors here will be more than able to take care of them," he said.

As well as the surgery which Dr Hall and the other GPs have taken years to build up, he has left the practice with another asset - one of the first nurse practitioners in the Leeds

area.

But leaving the area will not be without regret. "I shall miss being so far from my grandson, and I have a granddaughter about to be born. I will miss all of the staff I work with and I will miss Ilkley Moor and the Yorkshire Dales." he said.

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