Medical practices rarely have a beginning; they evolve from previous generations of doctors. This review of Albyn's history dates from the time of the Second World War.

Dr Rae Duffus returned from five years as Senior Officer and Medical Officer in a Prisoner of War camp in 1945 and rejoined Dr John Innes in practice in Queen's Gardens in Aberdeen. In 1952 the practice was joined by Dr Ranald Steven. He retired in 1986.

In the 50s and early 60s the practice was carried out from two centres, Victoria Street and 402 George Street. The Victoria Street branch surgery was held in the genteel West End Victorian Villa of Miss Knowles, who had been the nanny of Dr Duffus in Auchenblae. (Dr Rae Duffus's father, Dr James Duffus, had been a GP in Auchenblae from 1890-1929). The George Street surgery was a lock-up consulting room with few facilities. At that time there was no ancillary help and reception duties were carried out by Mrs Duffus who answered the telephone from home. At the same time Dr Jimmy Third, Dr Duffus's brother-in-law, was in single-handed practice, consulting from his home at 96 Fountainhall Road. Previously Dr Third had taken over the practice of Dr Longmore who practised from the building which became the Earls Court Hotel.

After 1966 the practice moved to rooms at the St John’s Nursing Home (now Albyn Hospital) at 23 Albyn Place in the same building as Dr Third’s practice. The practice had two rooms and eventually employed two part-time receptionists (identical twins!) and a cleaner. The list size was about 4,000 patients.

In 1974 the practice was joined by Dr Peter Duffus, son of Dr Rae Duffus, and at the same time the practice amalgamated with Dr Third making the Albyn Group Practice occupying the magnificent sum of four rooms and a list of 6,000 patients. Since then the practice gradually expanded and developed. District nurses and health visitors were attached to the practice, A4 records were introduced and Albyn was one of Aberdeen's first practices to employ practice nurses. Dr Rae Duffus retired in 1978 and Dr William Stephen became a partner in 1980 after working with the RAF. He retired in 2008.

Dr Peter Duffus became a GP trainer in 1982 and the practice was one of the first to introduce computers in 1984. In 1986 Dr Ranald Steven retired and Dr Judith Farquharson became a partner following her year as a trainee with the practice.

During that time the practice list, staff and activities expanded with the addition of baby clinics, maternity clinics, chronic disease management clinics and minor surgery. More rooms were occupied at 23 Albyn Place, eventually spilling over into number 22 and once to number 24. Dr Craik joined in 1993, Dr Cornwell in 1994 and Dr Harrison in 1995. Finally becoming too large for existing premises, the practice moved a few hundred yards up the road to our present site at 30 Albyn Place (previously an old people’s home).

The practice continued to expand, necessitating the building of an extension in 1997. Wenow have a list size of approximately 10,500 patients. Albyn hosted Aberdeen's first GP website and is actively pursuing the developement of web-based facilities

Dr Efskind joined the practice in 2001 after a training year at the practice and left in 2007. Dr Rebello joined us in 2008 and left in 2012. Our newest current partners are Dr Prentice who joined the practice in 2007 and Dr Terwey who join us in August 2008.

Albyn Medical practice was re-awarded the prestigious Quality practice Award (QPA) by the Royal College of General Practitioners (Scotland) for the second time in 2007. We first received the award in 2001 and are proud of the standard of care we offer to our patients.

We look forward to continued practice developments in the future. We would be pleased to hear from any patients who have memories of the practice in the past.