by Iain Hunter
Four doctors in the Southside have been recognised for their work.

Three GPs were awarded a Fellowship of the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), and in another ceremony, The Queen presented Dr Brian Fraser, a Fellow of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust (WCMT), with a silver medallion at Buckingham Palace.

Dr William Graham, Dr Linsey Semple, and Dr Peter Wiggins were awarded the highest grade of membership of the RCGP, which has over 24,000 members, at an awards ceremony in London. The appointments recognise their contribution to general practice.

 ‘The award of a Fellowship indicates the College’s pride in a doctor’s career achievements,’ said Dr Roger Neighbour, RCGP President. ‘Fellows are fine ambassadors for our standards and values.’

Dr Graham works from Crookston Medical Centre and firmly believes in the holistic role of the GP. His particular interests are inner city practice, alcohol and substance misuse, neurobiology and sports medicine. He said, ‘I’m very pleased. I’ve been a GP trainer for a few years now and it’s nice to get recognition for that.’

Dr Wiggins works in the Castlemilk Group Practice where he has led developments in training, drug dependency, services information management and technology both within the practice and nationally. He said, ‘It’s a great honour, and a reflection on the practice as a whole and the support it provides.’

Dr Semple, whose practice is in Cardonald Medical Centre, declined to talk to the LOCAL NEWS. Her interests are postgraduate and undergraduate education.

Brian Fraser, a Doctor of Philosophy and former Cardonald resident now living in Eaglesham, was recognised by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust for his research into ‘restorative justice’ with the Prison Fellowship Scotland.

Dr Fraser travelled to the USA, Australia and New Zealand investigating how rehabilitation and reconciliation of offenders in these countries could be applied in Scotland to lower re-offending rates. The Prison Fellowship is involved in outreach work in prisons in 108 countries around the world.

He said, ‘I’m delighted for the whole organisation that a body like the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust has recognised the importance of restorative justice.’