A LEADING GP who has treated tens of thousands of patients during his career is set to step down.

Geoff Jolliffe first started medical school 43 years ago, after which he practised in Liverpool for a year and then moved to Barrow, where he has been based for the past 36 years.

The 61-year-old began his career at Duke Street Surgery in Barrow before moving to Liverpool House and finally Risedale Surgery.

He has now revealed he plans to hang up his stethoscope as a surgery GP once Barrow’s new Alfred Barrow Health Centre opens at the beginning of November.

He will continue in his role with the Morecambe Bay Clinical Commissioning Group and as an out-of-hours GP with Cumbria Health On Call.

Dr Jolliffe, a dad-of-seven, said: “When I started work with the CCG, before the boundary change, it was, for me, all about trying to raise the problems and help to improve the problems experienced in the Barrow area.

“We’ve done a lot of work and had some massive achievements, such as saving maternity services in Barrow and with the new Alfred Barrow Health Centre, but there is still a lot to be done.

“It’s all about getting better, more tailored health services for the people of Barrow and making sure our voice is heard.

“I’m going to leave Risedale Surgery after the new health centre opens but I will carry on my work with the CCG and Cumbria Health On Call, and I’ll also do some locum work for surgeries in the area.”

Dr Jolliffe has been a member of Morecambe Bay CCG’s governing body since April 2017 when the boundary change occurred and Morecambe Bay CCG came into existence.

In his current role as clinical chair of the CCG he has led the team transforming GP services in Barrow through the creation of a new multi-surgery health centre in Duke Street, which will open next month.

“I will continue to work with my colleagues locally as well as across the whole of Morecambe Bay to improve health outcomes for our communities and make a real difference to our local health services,” he added.