YourGP’s Medical Director, Dr Lyndsey Myskow, was one of the founding members of the practice and so it is with mixed emotions that we bid her farewell this month as she heads off to enjoy her well-earned retirement in the sun.

Her medical career has been long and illustrious, changing the lives of countless patients and colleagues thanks to her extensive knowledge, expertise and positivity. To mark this new chapter in her life, we thought it fitting to both reflect and look forward.

Read on to find out what Dr Myskow’s greatest achievements have been and what the future holds for her and for the practice. (Her retirement plans might just surprise you…!)

Take us back to where it all began…
I trained at Edinburgh Medical School, then did postgraduate training in general practice, before becoming a GP partner in 1984 at Sighthill HC in Edinburgh. In that same year I started my training to become a sex therapist which led on to me working as a gender specialist from 1989.

Do you think medical science has advanced a lot in that time?
Medical science has advanced hugely since I qualified 41 years ago and it is imperative that all doctors keep up to date.

Why did you set up YourGP?
I set up YourGP (initially called Medicalternative) along with two other GPs in 2002. We all felt that we were unable to offer our patients what they wanted and needed in NHS general practice, so thought that a private option would be helpful. We also, at that time, were keen to have complementary medicine on offer for those conditions which did not respond well to conventional medicine, for example chronic back pain and M.E.

What do you think makes YourGP different from other medical practices?
YourGP has continually changed and developed according to patient needs and requests. For example, we were asked to offer cosmetic treatment within three years of opening, so my GP partner and I went off and trained in the specialty. This took us all over Europe and the training was ongoing due to the various changes in treatment over the years.

I have expanded the gender clinic in YourGP and we now see many patients on extremely long NHS waiting lists who are understandably anxious to move ahead with treatment.

In addition, we now have a large number of occupational health patients and work with companies across the UK.

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced?
Our biggest challenge for the business was surviving the 2008 recession and its aftermath.

What has been the most rewarding part of your job?
I find sorting out a patient’s requirements, whatever they are, extremely rewarding.

What will you miss most about working at YourGP?
I will miss all my patients very much, as some of them have been with the practice for well over a decade and are more like old friends. I will also miss the lovely YourGP staff.

What are you most looking forward to in your retirement?
I am going to live in Portugal. I have a very big garden there which will hopefully soon be inhabited by a couple of alpacas. Their fleeces should provide me with endless hours of knitting!

What does the future hold for YourGP?
I am hoping that YourGP will be taken over by enthusiastic doctors who share my belief in striving for excellent care and service.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
‘Live for the moment’. I have seen too many people struck down by life-threatening or life changing conditions in a blink of an eye. None of us knows what tomorrow will bring so there is no point in worrying about it.

Wise words, Dr Myskow, and we wish you many happy years living for the moment in your retirement!