Retirement of Doctors Johnston and McCaughern

MAINE Medical Practice, Cullybackey and Ahoghill, held a retirement dinner at The Four Season’s suite in Galgorm Resort to celebrate the careers of Dr David Johnston OBE and Dr Jean McCaughern.

Dr Johnston joined Cullybackey health centre in 1993 and Dr McCaughern in 1994.

They established a new practice, Maine Medical, in 1999 in purpose-built premises in the Old Mill Park on Cullybackey Main Street.

They were joined by Dr Helen McAteer in 2003.

In 2010 with the retirement of Dr James Kenny in Ahoghill Health Centre, Maine Medical Practice expanded to take over services there too as Maine Medical Ahoghill.

Both practices continued to grow and new appointments were made over time in Ahoghill (Dr Mary Butler, Dr John Goodrich, Dr Roberta Campbell and Dr Lauren Worthington) and in Cullybackey (Dr Claire Stirling, Dr Ab Salem and Dr Jenalee Kennedy).

The Ahoghill practice at that time of the merger in 2010 was in the old premises where it had been based since 1974 occupying the former police station on the Portglenone Road.

It was becoming too small to accommodate a growing practice and had limited options for expansion.

Opportunity arose with the move of the First Ahoghill Presbyterian Church congregation from the Straid Road in the village to a new site on the Galgorm Road.

The Old Meeting House, built in the 1850s, became vacant, and Dr Johnston conceived and oversaw a renovation plan in partnership with the First Ahoghill Kirk Session to see that great old mid-19th Century revival church become a thriving 21st century medical practice.

The move was completed in June 2017.

Dr Johnston is a former chair of the Royal College of General Practitioner in Northern Ireland and Dr McCaughern was a course organiser at the Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency.

They have both served many years as GP trainers, bringing the next generation of doctors through, and have each long experience in Dalriada Urgent Care.

Dr Johnston is the clinical director of Dalriada Urgent Care, a role he will continue, alongside his chairmanship of the Ballymena Academy Board of Governors and his leadership in Gracehill recently achieving World Heritage status for the village.

Dr Johnston was appointed an OBE for voluntary services in the built heritage sector in the Queen’s birthday honours list in 2015 and received his award from the then Prince of Wales, now King Charles III.