A GP has marked her retirement after 29 years at York's "best" practice by thanking her patients - and criticising the pressures caused by "misguided political dogma".

Dr Sarah Bottom, of the Jorvik Medical Practice, said it was her open and robust relationships with many patients which had made the enormous pressures of the job bearable.

She told patients in the surgery newsletter that she was remarrying after Christmas and moving back to her West Country roots.

"While I will miss the wonderful extended family that is Jorvik Medical Practice, I do not think I will have time to grieve," she said.

Dr Bottom said she had frequently given thanks for the day, 29 years ago, that two doctors, Dr Stockdale and Dr Ormston, came to see her to discuss the possibility of a partnership.

"This was before it was mandatory for every GP to undertake three years vocational training," she said.

"I had only done some rather specialised training', as a mother of two energetic young children, so I learned my trade on the job with the help of everyone in the practice, particularly from our patients.

"I have really valued the open and robust relationships with patients, and will miss many of you as I embark on my new life.

"It is this relationship which has made the enormous pressures of the job bearable, particularly at times of change inflicted by exuberant and misguided political dogma."

She said that, apart from politically imposed changes, there had been some major changes in the practice over her working life, and she was certain it would progress as a modern, forward-thinking practice.

She told patients: "I do hope that you as patients will continue to value the practice - staff, nurses and doctors - as much as I have done for so many years."

The Jorvik Practice has one surgery in South Bank and for many years had another in Peckitt Street, off Tower Street, before moving some years ago to new premises in Peasholme Green.