Doctor to retire after 30 years

Dr Hazel Carsley, 56, lives in Salterhebble, and started working at the practice in 1988 when it was based on Park Road.

“I’m looking forward to it,” she said of her impending retirement. “I don’t know where the years have gone, it’s been so quick.

“It’s hard to know at what point you become an established GP, and then before you know it you’re coming to the end.

“It does creep up on you, but I suppose that shows that I’ve enjoyed it.

“I’ve loved being part of the local community. It’s been lovely seeing people grow up and have families of their own, which happens when you’re a practitioner this long.

“It’s also been nice to see the development of the practice itself. It was quite small when I started out. I was part-time and it only had two GP’s.

“But we moved to where we are now six years ago because we needed more space to do different things.

“Now we have nurse practitioners, pharmacists and healthcare assistants.

“The demands have definitely got more over the years and more is demanded by the system, such as form filling and feedback - there’s more to be done in a smaller amount of time.”