Interim Practice Manager Appointed

We would like to welcome Anne MacLachlan as the newest member of our team.  She has been appointed to the post of Interim Practice Manager.

Anne has worked before in the Strachur Rural Medical Practice, as it was known then.  She brings a breadth of management and book-keeping experience to the post and impressed us with her desire to help us provide the best possible service to our patients. 

Anne will start on Wednesday 14th December 2011 and has said she will remain with us as long as she is needed.  She will also be helping providing receptionist cover for illness and holidays.

Repeat Medications: Christmas and New Year

To ensure that you have enough medication for Christmas and New Year please have your repeat slips handed in no later than Monday 19^th December for uplift by Friday 23^rd December.

There will be no repeat medications dispensed from Friday 23^rd December until Monday 9^th January as we will be unable to order any medication from our supplier.

Practice manager on long term leave

Unfortunately, our Practice Manager, Sue Macraild, is going to be off for a few weeks unexpectedly.

Jane Davis-Moore

Jane Davis-Moore will be our Practice Manager while Sue is off.  However, she won't be here all the time.  This means that Dr Coull will need to fill in for some of Sue's workload running the practice.



This may mean some surgeries will be reduced to allow time for practice management work.

Apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.

Current Out of Hours Doctor Availability

Some patients have expressed concern about what to do out of hours if they need to see the doctor urgently.

There is always a doctor availble for Strachur and Tighnabruaich, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.


Weeknight cover is provided by:

• Dr Robbie Coull, Strachur
• Dr Jurgen Tittmar
• Dr Alida Pettie, Tighnabruaich
• Dr Peter Von Kaehne, Lochgoilhead
• Dr Annette McCulloch, Lochgoilhead

and two Rural Practitioners that work for Highland Health Board who provide cover on Monday nights.

Weekend cover is currently provided by:

• Dr Ash Bhopal, Strachur
• Dr Fiona Mauritzen, Tighnabruaich

So there is always a GP available in the Strachur / Tighnabruaich / Lochgoilhead area that you can speak to or see if you need to over the weekend.  The GP can meet you at the Strachur Out of Hours Center or can provide a home visit if you need one.

Out of Hours GP cover for Cowal is currently under review by Highland Health Board's 24/7 Committee.

Dr Coull returning to Scotland in August 2011

Dr Robbie Coull will be returning to Scotland after three and a half years in Canada.

After Dr Wright sadly passed away last year, Strachur Medical Practice has been using a series of locum doctors to provide part of our medical cover.  Dr Coull will take over Dr Wright's old Monday and Tuesday clinics from the 15th of August 2011. 

Dr Coull has been in Canada since February 2008 trying to set up an NHS-style medical practice there.