Health Minister visits Carryduff GP practice

The Health Minister has praised the role of the General Practitioner as he visited Carryduff surgery on the outskirts of Belfast.

Michael McGimpsey said: "Throughout my term as Minister, I have had many opportunities to experience the frontline in health and social care services. Today I have the opportunity to see at first hand the very important work of the GP.

"This is an excellent practice in Carryduff which looks after 9,600 patients, many of whom are very young. As well as catering for its patients, this practice also provides training for up and coming GPs.

"In recent times as health and social care services have changed, so too has the role of the GP, who has provided greater intervention treatment to prevent patients having unnecessary periods in hospital. This type of treatment and care adds to the quality of life of patients."

The Minister also praised the role of primary care staff including GPs for contributing to the success of the swine flu vaccination programme in Northern Ireland. He said: "Being here today allows me to personally thank the GPs and their staff in the Carryduff practice and all GPs in Northern Ireland for their tremendous work in dealing with the swine flu pandemic. GPs can take credit for the high uptake rates for the vaccination programme across Northern Ireland. Their hard work over the last 10 months, has helped to protect the most vulnerable in our society from swine flu."

Notes to editors:

1. The Carryduff practice dates back to 1978.
2. The practice has 9,600 registered patients
3. The practice is a training practice with five partners, one academic GP, one GP retainer and one GP registrar.
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