Dr Gerard Vincent Bulger BSc MBBS DCH FRCGP FRACGP CCFP



I trained at St Bartholomew’s Hospital London, and my post graduate years started on the professorial units at Barts and later I was a medical registrar on the professorial units at Homerton hospital in the East End of London.


I worked on busy rotas on call around East London gaining further experience in general surgery, medicine, medical obstetrics, paediatrics, accident and emergency, Coronary Care and ITU. I completed a year’s GP training and returned to hospital care in care of the elderly for one more year, before becoming a partner at a large teaching practice in the East End of London

For 9 years I developed the practice and became the executive partner and built a Health Mall.

The practice had obstetric beds at the local hospital and I was part of that rota.

I became the consultant to Redbridge and Waltham Forest Unit for physically disabled. This also involved a 15 bed unit which was to enable people to live in their own homes. We also provided medical cover to a large unit for severe mental handicapped patients.

In 1991 the practice became the local lead for a Government Initiative called fundholding. In 1993 I left the practice to set up The Fundholders’ Support Agency, which became the largest mutilfund in the UK.

This involved grouping practices together and managing their contracts for medical services and handling the accounting. From this I developed the Outpatient Diagnostic and Treatment Centre service, the Consultant Provider Agency. This became the largest private provider to the NHS in London. Glaxo bought a stake in our companies. The change in Government banned fundholding in 1999, and we were able to cleanly wind up the businesses in 2000. These businesses put the family on a sound financial footing.

In 1993 I was also running a small practice, Archway Surgery in Hertfordshire. I employed a nurse and an assistant GP. This village practice achieved all its targets and achieved top scores in the Quality and Outcome Framework. There were a few home deliveries. We trained medical students. I covered our out of hours patient calls and then helped to develop the local out of hours GP cooperative.

In 2002 I took on medical services for HMP The Mount. This post was part of a reform of medical services in prisons. This was followed by a successful tender to provide medical services again to that prison in 2007. In 2006-8 I worked at HMP Wandsworth, the largest prison in the UK with 1,800 prisoners and a fast turnover of patients, as it serves the courts. I left as I had worries that quality of care could not be delivered by the new social enterprise, and 7 months later the Primary Care trust took the contract back: Secure Care was in liquidation.

In 2007, before the credit crunch, I sold my surgery in the UK. Our children were grown up and successfully launched in their own lives so we looked at working abroad. In January 2009 I started full time work at The Doctors, a polyclinic in Cairns Australia with pharmacy, physiotherapy, radiology and CT scanner services in the same building.

Here I have learnt about the Australian system of health care, indigenous health care, local diseases and I have increased my practical experience of injuries, fractures and clinical emergencies, and antenatal care without local midwives. I continue to teach medical students here (JCU).

Indonesia Oct-Dec 2011

My first post with InternationalSOS was at Inco Hospital Soroako Sulawesi in November 2010. I treated the ex-pat community for Vale’s Inco Nickel mine. I was also the clinical advisor as the hospital and clinic that serves local people and the mine’s insured workers. Most of the locals could not afford further care. The hospital had full services with an ITU, emergency department, theatres, full obstetric care and incubators. I led ward rounds across these specialties and taught the trainees. This gave me a useful insight into developing country medicine; it refreshed my skills and knowledge in delivery suite medicine and general surgery. This time enhanced my tropical disease experience (TB, typhoid, filiaris, dengue and more). I also gained an understanding of the risks associated with mining, processing and hydroelectric dam construction, and reforestation projects.

Borroloola Northern Territories Feb-April 2011

I worked as sole GP in the community of Borroloola. It is located on the McArthur River in the Gulf of Carpentaria, approximately 850 kilometres south east of Darwin and 670 kilometres from Katherine. Population 1200 plus outstations. The work included weekly visits by chartered aircraft to Robinson River, located 120km south east of Borroloola - with monthly visit to Kiana outstation. The clinics were staffed by Aboriginal Health Workers, Remote Area Nurses Clinical support was also provided by the Aerial Medical Service telephone consultations and medical retrievals from Darwin. This work included the very ill, acute medicine, trauma as well and chronic disease management (rheumatic and diabetic)

Tristan Da Cunha.  November 2011- March 2012  Chief Medical Officer.
Here the doctor is the only qualified medical professional this Island, this being the most remote medical post in the world, in the middle of the South Atlantic.  There is no airfield on this volcanic island; it can be two months before the next ship arrives. The doctor has to be prepared to do anything required including GA and surgical procedures. It has a small hospital and offers emergency services to passing ships in this part of the South Atlantic.

             

April-August 2012 Working back in Cairns Australia at The Doctors in general practice with medical student attachment teaching.

September  2012  February 2013 Australian Antarctic Division Kingston Tasmania.

         

I started with the intensive Remote Medicine Training, full time September to November 2012.   The work included being the ship’s doctor on Aurora Australis on the voyage to Casey station where I was then a summer doctor covering Casey Station and Wilkins Airfield.

           
Guinea Conakry West Africa  March-May 2013
           
Site Medical Officer at Feranah and Foreceriah, part of the Simandou Project
I was called in at three days notice to work with InternationalSOS. providing medical support to ex-pat and local workers and medivacs.  Much of the work there was associated with the risks of helicopter slinging work.  There was cholera outbreak at another other village, so prepared an isolation ward, otherwise working on malaria in treatment and prevention in workers.  Limited kit but was aided by an excellent paramedic.  

The Doctors GP practice Cairns (Nichol Holdings) July-September 2011
This work is at my Australian base and returns to work here between other posts as a GP in this large polyclinic.

Antarctica October 2013 – December 2014
          

I was sent in on the first possible flight of the season via New Zealand and then McMurdo (US base) where I was stuck for a few days.  Arriving early at Casey for the medical evacuation of a patient with the doctor from the Station. In effect I was acting as a winter doctor for three weeks before summer teams started to come in. Also prepared the Wilkins Airfield mass casualty facility.

Gulf of Mexico to Gabon January-February 2014 Oil Rig Ship’s Doctor
I was able to take up the post for a month as ship’s doctor (InternationalSOS) on the Ultra Deep Water Oil Drilling Rig Titanium Explorer while she sailed at 10 Knots to Gabon waters. Much of the time was preparing Vantage Oil Drilling for remote and African conditions.  138 crew.
             
 
The Doctors Cairns and Townsville (Nicholl Holdings) February 2014-
Back at work at my Australian base February 2014 -  In April I moved south to help open the new GP Superclinic in Townsville Queensland, part of the same team.  This superclinic is to become a large one stop centre with all facilities of a hospital except for beds. 
           
 
UK 2009-2014 
I return to our central London apartment each year for a few weeks, and while there I do a few days work as locum at Gossom’s End surgery in Hertfordshire, and some out of hours sessions. I also attend UK post graduate courses.  This together with use of internet and email groups keeps up me UK experience.  This work helps keeps me keep on a local list of GPs needed for NHS appraisal, revalidation and continued full UK GMC registration and license.