Interview
Receiving the award for best practice (IW) April 2015 from Dr D Isaacs
and says they’ve provided the perfect way
to wind down after a shift at the surgery:
“I can just sit and look at them for hours”
he says.
He and Rebecca also enjoy their holidays
abroad – although they have learnt never
to disclose what they do for a living.
“I made that mistake once in Cyprus”
he laughs. “I was lazing by the pool and
ended up with a row of people with skin
rashes, all queueing up by my sunbed!”
There was one occasion, though, when
he was happy to step up – on a Kuwait Air
flight back from a holiday in Thailand. A
passenger in First Class had gone into
anaphylactic shock after eating caviar, and
the call went out for a doctor on board.
Dr Coleman injected him with adrenaline
and effectively saved his life. Afterwards,
he was invited for a free holiday at the
grateful man’s home in Malaysia - although
he never took up the offer.
As he anticipates a well-earned
retirement, Dr Coleman says he is
planning to “deliberately do nothing” for a
while, whilst slowly deciding how to spend
the next phase of his life.
Having also held various demanding
advisory roles with the Health Authority
since 1993, including being a founder
member in 2012 of the Island’s Clinical
Commissioning Group, his working life
has certainly been full-on.
He says he couldn’t have managed it
without the huge contribution made
by Rebecca both in the development of
the practice and supporting him in his
extended role.
“I’ve found that level of involvement
very rewarding” he says, “and it’s been
an important part of what I can give, to
support that side of the Health Service”.
But his main source of fulfilment
has clearly come from the day-to-day
interaction with patients at his Ventnor
practice.
“Yes, it is a good feeling to have so many
people who appreciate the service I’ve
given for over 30 years in Ventnor” he
says. “It’s been rewarding for me, and has
worked well for patients.
“Unfortunately, being a locally-based
GP seems to be much less fashionable
for young doctors qualifying now – but to
me it has always been a great thing to do.
Really getting to know people in depth,
earning their respect and respecting
them in turn, is not something you can
suddenly do – it takes decades of practice.
“This basic philosophy remains the same,
and it means the doctor has a full and
varied career, while the patient can expect
to receive a good level of all-round care.”
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