James Logan

Died: November 11, 2015

JAMES Rowat Logan, who has died aged 85 was a general practitioner and part of a family dynasty of GPs dating back to 1893. The family practice in the new Houldsworth Centre in Wishaw is now officially called the Logan Practice, where the third generation of Logan doctors, Jim Logan’s son Alec, has among his patients elderly men and women delivered by his grandfather. Such continuity is rare among GP surgeries today.

Jim Logan’s Lanarkshire roots were deep and strong, dug into the coal and steel infrastructure of the Royal Burgh of Motherwell and Wishaw and the county town of Hamilton. The family home and surgery were in Wishaw, but from 1941 he commuted every day to Hamilton Academy, where he met fellow pupil Jean, the Motherwell girl who became his wife.

It was a matter of regret to him that “Dr Alec”, his father, died suddenly before he saw the third of his children enter medical school at Glasgow University, where the youngest followed in the footsteps of brother George and sister Jan. At Glasgow he continued the proud family tradition of failing examinations in anatomy and biochemistry. His gregarious nature drew him to people-friendly areas of the kind he would deploy in general practice, as well as to the University Union and inordinate amounts of sport.

He became president of Glasgow University Athletic Club, and was awarded twin Blues in both football and cricket. He was a combative batsman and a competent off spinner. He would wear his duck-egg blue blazers at family functions, to general bewilderment, until very old indeed. As a Glasgow University Union stalwart he drove a volunteer ambulance to Berlin and then played inside right (his favourite position) for the British Army of the Rhine against skilled German opposition.

In 1958, he married Jean, joined his father and brother in the Wishaw practice and began his 40-year career and became an inspirational GP. His son Alec says general practice was his father's beating heart.

“In my view he did several significant things as a medic of which he was particularly proud. He was first and foremost a patient advocate. He fought for his patients, miners and steel workers, writing letters, demanding justice and compensation for the injuries and illnesses which their industries caused.

“He super-valued general practice education. Professor Stuart Murray, then re-designing postgraduate general practice education in the West of Scotland, has recalled to me how my father spoke with passion about being both a trainer and a GP, and describes him as a trainer of his time.

“He was a long-serving member of the local medical committee of the BMA, and understood that GPs should come together and form useful conglomerates. He and his old friend Sandy Matthewson were prime movers in the establishment of the first Wishaw Health Centre. “

Its ambitious successor, the Houldsworth Centre, is a primary care and civic facility three storeys high. From his consulting room in the Logan Practice, over 500 feet above sea level, the GP can see Goat Fell, the hills above Dunoon, the Arrochar Alps, Ben Lomond, Dumbarton Rock, “and smack bang in the middle the spire of the University of Glasgow. Dad would have liked that.”

He is survived by his wife Jean, his children Alec, Jane and Katey and his seven grandchildren