Thank you Dr Douglas
Dr Douglas, is a Community Specialist Palliative Care Consultant in Worcestershire who is now retiring after many wonderful years of looking after our community.
When Dr. Douglas joined the Health and Care Trust and Primrose Hospice as a consultant, he brought with him a vision that would transform palliative care in our community. In little under 25 years, Ian has actively driven some of the most significant changes at Primrose Hospice and within the Health and Care Trust.
We’ve seen remarkable developments during his tenure: the opening of the Coppice Centre in 2011, the Garden View extension in 2014 and his tremendous involvement with the opening of the Primrose Unit at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bromsgrove.
Please read some of the warm wishes from our staff, volunteers and trustees below:
David Burrell – CEO.
Dr. Douglas has been a keystone of Primrose Hospice and Family Support Centre for many years. As a specialist adviser to the Board he has helped shape and develop services and as a Community Specialist Palliative Care Consultant his commitment to patients and their families has been exemplary with families often recounting stories of the difference he made. A career to be very proud of!
On behalf of everyone at Primrose Hospice. Thank you, Dr. Douglas, for your years of selfless service, for the lasting facilities you’ve helped create for our community, and for showing us all what it means to practice medicine with both skill and heart.
We wish you all the best in your well-deserved retirement.
Dawn White – Head of Clinical Services.
Known 28 years in one capacity or another, but what stands out for me is when we had just started DN night services and there was a gentleman who was on a new treatment. The man was in pain, I needed some advice and contacted Dr Douglas at 2.30am, Dr Douglas came within 15 minutes, he was kind and gentle to not only the patient but also the nurses.
The patient is always at the center of what you do, I have gained no end of knowledge and experience from working with you. I will never forget the days of virtual wards and keeping up with you in the hospital corridor with your long legs. You are the best consultant/doctor I have ever worked with in 37 years.
Good luck in your retirement Ian.
Heather Coughlin – Head of Family Support
I’ve worked with Ian for almost twenty years and always found him very supportive of the growth of the Family Support Service. He has encouraged it into what it is today and always showed interest in our new ideas…even some of the complementary therapies eg reflexology, which he once referred to-affectionately, I’m sure, as ‘toe tickling!’ And yet, despite his scepticism, Ian always listened — and that’s the heart of it. He listened to patients. He listened to families. He listened to all of us. And in doing so, he helped shape Primrose into the warm, person-centred place it is today.
On behalf of all of us within Family Support at Primrose Hospice, and the wider community you’ve served, thank you. Thank you for your skill, your patience, your dry humour, warm heart and — perhaps most importantly — your belief in the power of dignity and compassion at the hardest moments in life.
Lisa Watts – Family support, Lead Counsellor/Benefits Advisor.
Thank you for your consistent help and support at Primrose, I will miss your wealth of experience, guided advice, and support.
Patients will truly miss the care and support you provide during the hardest time of their lives. I just hope if I am ever in the position to need a consultant like you, it would be available, if not you may need to come out of retirement.
Good luck for the future Dr Douglas, you truly deserve this time for yourself and your family, (this also includes your furry family).
Niamh Walker – Student Social Worker.
Dr Douglas has been such a source of knowledge and support on the Primrose Unit. He is a shining example of what it means to be a truly caring doctor towards both patients and staff alike. It has been an absolute privilege working with and learning from him and I wish him all the best for his retirement. Thank you Dr D!
Ray Carver – Volunteer.
I first met Dr Douglas in August 2009, when my terminally ill wife Gill was admitted to the bedded unit at POWCH. He immediately put my wife at ease and was always there for her and our family during her four week stay and kept her comfortable and out of pain, before she passed away. Always a calming presence.
Eighteen months later when I began working on the unit for Family Support, I found him an amazing man to work with. He always treated me as an equal and truly appreciated and respected everything I did there. I was even renamed Dr Ray by him. It has been a real honour and a privilege to have known him and work with him and to see first hand all the wonderful work he has done and the hundreds of people he has helped, not just patients but families as well. He will be very much missed, a hard act to follow. Best wishes to him on his retirement Ray Carver (Dr Ray).
Jenni Luke – Children’s Team Lead.
I was quite young when I started my role and looked even younger and Dr Douglas never patronised me, always respected and included me and my input felt welcomed. I will miss working with him with his calm, knowledgeable and straight talking nature.
Yvonne & Barbara – Wednesday morning volunteer receptionists.
Sorry you are leaving us all at Primrose, will both miss you on a Wednesday morning, you are always friendly and courteous, a true gentleman who will be greatly missed.
Carole Roberson – Trustee.
Dr Douglas thank you for your invaluable support to Primrose Hospice. Your knowledge and skills has made an immense difference to the lives of the patients and your support to staff has been immeasurable.
Wishing you a well deserved retirement and change of pace, filled with all the activities you enjoy .
