A GP with more than 30 years’ experience of caring for patients has been appointed as the new chairman of Halesworth Community Nursing Care Fund (HCNCF).

Eastern Daily Press: An artist'’s impression of the Pear Tree Centre, Halesworth. Picture: LSI Architects.An artist'’s impression of the Pear Tree Centre, Halesworth. Picture: LSI Architects. (Image: Archant)

Kevin Maclusky, who has been a GP at Cutlers Hill Surgery in Halesworth since 2000, was appointed as a trustee and charity chairman at HCNCF’s annual general meeting earlier this month.

He takes over the role from Dr Richard Kell, who has retired as chairman but will continue as one of the charity’s trustees.

Dr Maclusky qualified as a doctor at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London in 1985, and spent 17 years as a GP in Baldock, Hertfordshire before moving to Suffolk and becoming a partner at Cutlers Hill.

He said: “I’m absolutely delighted to have been invited to join this long-standing and much-loved local charity as chairman. Our practice has worked closely with HCNCF for some time and all of the GPs at Cutlers Hill are well aware of the important role the charity plays in providing essential end-of-life support to people in the Halesworth area.

Eastern Daily Press: An artist’'s impression of the Pear Tree Centre, Halesworth. Picture: LSI Architects.An artist’'s impression of the Pear Tree Centre, Halesworth. Picture: LSI Architects. (Image: Archant)

“I’m looking forward to working with the rest of the trustees as we steer the charity onto its next exciting phase, which will see work begin on the Pear Tree Centre to further enhance the information and support available to people with life-limiting illnesses and their families.”

The Pear Tree Centre, which will be built on land next to the surgery following a successful £710,000 fundraising drive, was granted planning permission this week.

Once complete, it will offer complementary treatments, counselling, help understanding a diagnosis, advice on finance and bereavement support to anyone from north east Suffolk or south Norfolk with cancer or other life-limiting illnesses, as well as their families and carers.

Rachel Booth, HCNCF trustee and co-chairman of the Pear Tree Centre project, said: “We believe Dr Maclusky is perfectly placed to steer HCNCF into its next stage of providing information and support from the proposed new Pear Tree Centre, as well as continuing to provide care for people nearing the end of their lives who would like to die at home.”

For more information about the Pear Tree project, or to make a donation to help with the centre’s running costs, visit www.halesworthhealth.org/information-and-support-centre