THIS week marked the end of an era with two familiar faces retiring at Cardigan Health Centre.

Dr Roger Cole and practice nurse Angela Czech have both called it a day after seeing thousands of patients over the years. Dr Cole hung up his stethoscope after 30 years with the Feidrfair practice, while Angela has spent 28 years working there.

“It will seem strange as I have spent all my 30 years working in the same building,” said Dr Cole, who was born and raised in St Dogmaels and did his training in London before moving back to Cardigan.

“I have enjoyed my time here and I think what I will miss most is just the sheer number of people you meet,” he added, as he looked forward to spending more time in his garden and with his grandson.

Angela, also from St Dogmaels, previously worked at Cardigan Hospital and said: “It does not seem like 28 years since I started here – it has absolutely flown and there has been so many changes.

“I can remember people just coming in and sitting in the corridor and then a doctor would pop his head out of the door and ask ‘who’s next?’.

“It’s a fantastic team here and will miss working with everyone, doctors, nurses and admin staff. It really is a team effort. I will also miss the patients and running my clinics as you get to know people.

“I have enjoyed every minute of it,” added Angela, who plans to carry out voluntary work in the area and visit her children in Australia.

On a practical level, computerisation has made a huge difference to the way the health service now works, while the advance in medical science has also led to big changes.

“Because we are an ageing population, there are more patients who might now come to see us with four, five or six different conditions,” said Dr Cole.

“There are so many more things that can be treated, and while people can be critical of the health service, it is easy to forget how many more things we are now treating.

“We are also doing so much more to try to prevent illness, through things such as vaccinations, and we now have specialist nurses who deal with such things as diabetes, asthma, mental health and so on.”

A retirement party for the pair is to be held at Caemorgan Mansion.