The Surrey GP died after “the pressure of work finally got to her”, her husband shared in an emotional online post. The body of Dr Gail Milligan was found in a forest after she disappeared for 24 hours on Wednesday, Christopher Milligan shared on social media. “Her work as an associate in a GP surgery became overwhelming. Especially during the pandemic,” he said. “We have no doubt that the job made her sick.” As well as dealing with illness and death during the Covid-19 pandemic, Mr Milligan said his wife of 30 years was responsible for training many doctors and worked for several medical organisations.
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He worked at Camberley Health Center in Surrey. Mr Milligan had posted a message about his wife on a private online GP group, but it has since been widely shared on social media. “The pressure to make no mistakes, and endless emails and papers meant that in the last years of her life she neglected herself,” she wrote. He said Gail often worked long days and her mental health had deteriorated. An email he received last Sunday is what triggered a “deep, deep depression.” “This was not a cry for help. This was clearly the only way she could see her suffering end. “If you knew my wife, you would know how far from normal it was for her. She was so proud of our boys.” Mr Milligan had a strong message for anyone who heard “talk about lay doctors”. “Please stop and think about what happened to my wife,” he urged. “My boys lost their mother and I lost my best friend.” A private doctor, Dr Kartik Modha, tweeted: “The pressure NHS doctors are under is enormous. Urgent action is needed.” A message posted on the Camberley Health Center website said: “Dr Milligan was a much loved member of the practice and will be greatly missed by the staff and patients she supported and cared for so devotedly. He added that Dr Milliagan was “a dedicated and passionate doctor and was well loved and respected by patients and colleagues. Her commitment and expertise in her various roles in primary care and medical education was clear to all.” Patients have been invited to write online tributes to share with her family. “We know that some members of the community will be affected by this sad news and so we want to remind you of the support available in Surrey Heath,” the service said. Dr Milligan qualified at the University of Manchester in 1998. She trained as a GP in Reading and joined Camberley Health Center in 2003. Anyone affected by the issues in this story can contact Samaritans on 116 123.