I moved to Ayrshire to take up a partnership in an Ayr practice in 2007. 15 years have passed in a flash and I`m so delighted we made the move! My wife and I am from this area and following completion of training in Glasgow we missed living by the coast and realised this would be a fantastic place to have and raise a family. It offered us increased family support, affordable high quality housing, great nurseries and schools and offered an easy commute by train or road to Glasgow. This has allowed my wife to progress her career as a corporate Lawyer in Glasgow to partnership level and us to easily take in the odd concert or night out in the big city when we fancy it. As remote working opportunities have progressed Jo now only needs to make that commute once a fortnight or so.
There is a fantastic, supportive GP community in Ayrshire. Generally the quality of GP practices is high but practices do place emphasis on work/life balance and staff wellbeing. I`ve been supported to become a trainer in a very supportive general GP training group and now find this a hugely enjoyable part of my job. I regularly play 5 a side football with partners from other practices locally and love playing in annual golf matches on some of the finest links courses in the land , such as Royal Troon or Old Prestwick for Ayrshire Doctors vs Ayrshire Lawyers or Primary Care v our Secondary Care consultant colleagues matches. Links with secondary care are friendly and supportive and these sort of events help.
Indeed squeezing in 18 holes at Turnberry after work on a summer evening, walking in the footsteps of legends like Nicklaus or Watson is quite a buzz!! We love paddle boarding and long walks with the kids and dog on the numerous fantastic beaches and trails. The massive benefits of having all this on our doorstep was really felt when we were all `stuck` in lock down; we still felt pretty free being so close to huge outdoor spaces to walk, run, cycle, golf and paddle board!!
If work life balance matters to you and you enjoy outdoor activities and staying active Ayrshire is the place for you!
