Dr McMaster retires fromMountsandel

Present and former practice staff held a supper on the premises last month to mark Dr Ian McMaster’s retirement as senior partner.

Dr McMaster succeeded his father James after training at Edinburgh University’s medical school and graduating in 1972.

He then undertook his GP training followed by a short spell anaesthetics before working for a period in the Middle East.

It was not long before he returned home to serve the patients of Coleraine and Aghadowey with such dedication over the years.

Among many tributes paid on the evening, Dr Scott Brown reminded the large gathering that it had been Dr McMaster’s father who had opened the Mountsandel Surgery premises on May 17, 1989.

He was delighted to welcome Dr McMaster’s wife Elizabeth and children Richard and Claire who were present to see their father receive the practice’s retirement gift of a large TV and DVD player.

Dr Brown hoped that his retiring colleague would now have the time to watch all those gardening programmes he enjoyed!

Dr Brown remarked upon Dr McMaster’s deep involvement in Terrace Row Church and said that this had been formative in shaping his approach to his professional life, making him such a dependable partner and respected colleague, and so esteemed by the patients and staff at Mountsandel Surgery for over thirty years.

Dr Brown was also delighted to welcome two new partners, doctors Jayne McCollum and Simon Hawe who are taking would up partnerships in the surgery this month.