Dr Patrick Ramage

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Summary

Based on the interview recorded on 22 November 2005. It reflects the interviewee’s life and memories at that time.

Dr Patrick Ramage arrived in Fownhope by “pure accident” in 1963, intending only to help out temporarily—but stayed for over 30 years, transforming rural medical care and becoming a beloved part of village life.

He began work under the existing GP, a quiet naturalist who sparked Dr Ramage’s fascination with the local flora and fauna. At the time, general practice was rudimentary: no staff, no appointments, surgeries held in tiny rooms attached to the house, and patients arriving whenever they could get a lift. He often worked late into the night, covering extensive home visits due to poor local transport.

When his senior colleague retired, Dr Ramage purchased the premises and took over the practice. He quickly began modernising, rebuilding the surgery, employing staff, and forging strong links with hospitals and visiting consultants. He helped bring computing, minor surgery, maternity and psychiatric care, and diabetic eye screening directly into the practice—much of it ahead of its time.

His commitment culminated in the creation of the new medical centre in 1994, built on land he helped secure after complex negotiations. He retired the following year, having ensured continuity for future generations.

Dr Ramage also served for 35 years on the Parish Council, advocating for young families, low-cost housing, and the preservation of rural services. His dedication to home visits, continuity of care, and personal connection to patients was profound. As he reflected, you could learn more in two minutes at a family’s door than in five years of appointments.

A modest pioneer, he built a practice with a heart, blending clinical innovation with deep care for the community. His legacy remains, not only in the medical centre he founded, but in the generations of Fownhope families he looked after—some from cradle to grave.