The 59-year-old, who joined the surgery as a GP in 1990, took over as senior partner from Dr Jeremy Gibson in around 2000.

A long-serving Honiton GP will be retiring after 25 years of serving the community.

Dr David Seamark will be stepping down from his role as a senior partner and GP on Tuesday, June 30.

The 59-year-old, who joined the surgery as a GP in 1990, took over as senior partner from Dr Jeremy Gibson in around 2000.

The Upottery resident said he would miss the patient contacts, but said he will not miss re-organisations of the NHS.

Dr Seamark added: “I have had a parallel career in research - I’m an honorary associate professor at the University of Exeter. I will still be working, but mainly in the context of running a research project.”

A spokesman for Honiton Surgery said: “We are sure all of Dr Seamark’s patients will want to wish him well in his well-deserved retirement.”

Dr Seamark plans to continue leading the research team at the surgery. Dr Alex Werhun will be joining the practice in September for one year, but in the interim Dr Seamark will still be covering his sessions alongside Dr Werhun and his wife, Dr Clare Seamark.

Patients are requested not to ask to change GPs at this stage, as the practice plans to offer continuity of care.

The surgery has also said goodbye to Dr Zoe Ghosh, who will leave this month. Dr Ghosh is relocating to Bow following her recent marriage, and a new partner has been appointed and will be joining the practice on Thursday, October 1.

In the meantime, plenty of experienced regular locum cover has been put in place.

The spokesman added: “We would ask that Dr Ghosh’s patients wait to meet their new GP before requesting to change doctors. We wish Dr Ghosh every success in her new position.”