Guernsey doctor comes home

Wednesday 16 August 2023

A Guernsey educated specialist in elderly care has joined the Medical Specialist Group as a consultant physician, bring her family back to the island to live here with her.

Dr Ruth Copeland is now the MSG's consultant physician specialising in geriatric medicine.

She grew up in Guernsey, attending the Grammar School before going to the University of Nottingham Medical School.

After graduating in 2010, Dr Copeland trained in the East Midlands where she was appointed as a consultant geriatrician at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, one of England’s largest teaching hospitals.

Pictured: Dr Ruth Copeland is now the MSG's consultant physician specialising in geriatric medicine.

Dr Copeland's interest in geriatric medicine had first been inspired while she was working as a healthcare assistant at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital when she was a student.

"I then worked with many inspiring geriatricians during my early years in training and became a passionate advocate for providing high quality healthcare to older people," said Dr Copeland.

"I really enjoy the challenge of caring for older patients who have complex multimorbidity, meaning they are living with at least two long-term health conditions. I get a lot of job satisfaction from working collaboratively with patients and their families to find a pragmatic approach to treating their long term health issues."

Dr Tom Saunders, Chair of the Medical Directorate at the MSG, welcomed Dr Copeland’s appointment.

"I am delighted to welcome Ruth to the MSG. With her experience in geriatric medicine and her commitment to putting the patient first, she will make an excellent addition to our team," she said.

Chair of the MSG, Dr Steve Evans told Express that Dr Copeland's appointment is a sign of the changing face of medical recruitment. 

"When I was looking for my first consultants job, you looked in the British Medical journal and that was about it. That was just about the only place where it's a job advert. But now it's much more active. We're actively looking people out, and there's more done on social media, whether it be LinkedIn or through our Facebook site or whatever," he said.

Pictured: Dr Steve Evans, Chair of the MSG.

Dr Evans also said that Dr Copeland is not the only recent local appointment as the MSG tries to create a new professional pathway for medical students. 

“Although we are slowly building up a cohort of locals, I think three or four of our last appointments have been locals that have come back to the island.

"Our new consultant, Ruth Copeland she saw me at a conference six or seven years ago and said, ‘have you got any jobs?’ and I said ‘we will have’.

"That’s exciting for us. And we're in the process of setting up links between students and junior doctors that have got links to Guernsey. We're trying to build those links to try and improve recruitment, but a lot of it is word of mouth.”

Outside of her work Dr Copeland said she enjoys spending time with her husband and three small children who have relocated to Guernsey with her.

"Now that we have returned to Guernsey I am looking forward to reconnecting with friends and family and experiencing all that Guernsey has to offer."

Dr Copeland's links to Guernsey and the medical profession are strengthened further by her mother who has dedicated her life to health care at the other end of the age spectrum. 

Rachel Copeland BEM, is well known locally as a former health visitor and she founded the children’s charity Bright Beginnings.

Pictured top: Dr Ruth Copeland.