DR PETER Swinyard celebrates three decades serving the health needs of the people of West Swindon today - exactly 30 years after he arrived at Ashington House surgery, fresh from training.
In 1995, he went solo and opened his own practice in Toothill, first in a converted house in Deerhurst Way, then in a purpose designed surgery at the village centre.
“General Practice was very different in 1985,” said Dr Swinyard. “We managed with only five minute appointments and were much more of a sorting house. Our job has evolved into caring for people with serious and long term conditions as the mainstay of practice rather than short self-limiting illness.”
Computers did not arrive in the practice until 1988 – with an x386 computer server coping with dumb terminals. An old Wiltshire patient seeing the green screen said: “Ah. Ee be ‘aving them technography now Doctor.”
Dr Swinyard continued: “There can be no doubt that demands on General Practice have risen greatly with patients consulting more frequently and with more complex problems than ever before whilst, at the same time, funding is being squeezed.
“It is also true that recruitment of GPs, both nationally and locally, is extremely challenging and Phoenix Surgery has been through more than its fair share of difficulties, but we are pleased that Dr Meenakshi Raina is able to work an additional day with us and we continue to look for extra GP time.”
The basis of looking after families through the generations is what gives a special magic to the practice and Dr Swinyard is now treating the children of mothers whom he cared for when they were expecting.
Phoenix Surgery now has three doctors and visiting midwives and counsellors and prides itself on continuity of care as a founder member of the Family Doctor Association, of which Dr Swinyard is the national chairman.
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