Stop 8: GP House-Information
The GP for Rowlands Castle from the 1930s to the 1950s was Dr Southam. He lived in a house called “Rathbone” at 41 Bowes Hill. During the war he served as a Flying Officer with the RAF Medical Branch. After Dr Southam, the new GP was Dr Ashworth, who lived at 63 Bowes Hill. They both practised from their homes and provided pharmacy services. Later the GP services moved to the building between the Hardware Stores and Londis prior to moving into the present purpose-built practice on The Green in 1990. Until the 1960s it was common for GPs to work on their own, from their own houses and they also often provided a dispensary service in smaller communities. In their surgeries they would offer minor surgery and domiciliary Obstetric Care.
Gradually General Practitioners began to work in larger GP practices and moved to purpose-built Health Centres either owned by GPs or the Health Authorities and in these cases, they were on a long lease. Increasingly the Health Centres became a hub for various professionals, and pharmacy services were separately provided.