After over 30 years of dedicated service, Dr Helen Akester will be retiring from Kirkby Malzeard & Masham Surgeries on 30th September 2025.

Dr Akester has been an integral part of our community for three decades, caring for generations of patients and working alongside colleagues through many changes — from ‘open’ surgeries in the early days to modernised buildings and new ways of working after the pandemic.

In her own words, Dr Akester shared:

I will have worked at the practice for over 30 years and feel so blessed and privileged to have worked with such wonderful patients and colleagues in such a beautiful community. You have all been amazing and inspirational to me over the years.

There have been many changes and challenges within the practice during this time. The buildings themselves have both been substantially modernised. Like many others we had to move and adapt to more remote working following the pandemic. I suspect many of you remember the ‘open’ surgeries we did for many years when I started, which I do have fond memories of (mainly!).

I will miss you all greatly but feel it is right to call it ‘time’ now. During retirement, I hope to spend more time with my family. My first stop will be to visit my son again in Australia. I hope to continue walking and cycling and take up any new opportunities that arise.

I am sorry if I don’t manage to say goodbye to you all personally. I know this would be very difficult due to time constraints, but I wish you all the very best for the future and thank you once again for all your support over the years.
I will still be living locally so hope to bump into you from time to time.

The remaining partners — Dr Roberts, Dr Gardner, and Dr Freer — say they are incredibly sad to say goodbye to their friend and colleague but wish her the very best in her well-deserved retirement and look forward to hearing about her adventures ahead.

They also want to reassure patients that the practice’s commitment to providing high-quality local care remains as strong as ever. They are pleased to announce that Dr David Tibbits will be joining the team as a new partner in January 2026.

We know our community will join us in wishing Dr Helen Akester all the very best for her retirement — and in welcoming Dr David Tibbits when he joins the team next year.

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