I first met Dr. David McCartney, Founder of Lothians and Edinburgh Abstinence Programme (LEAP), in 2007. I travelled up to Edinburgh on a number of occasions, first when I was living in Cowbridge, near to Cardiff airport—catching the early morning flight meant I was in the centre of Edinburgh before 09.00—and later when I was visiting the UK from Australia. My oldest daughter Annalie was a medical student at Edinburgh University, so I could ‘kill two birds with one stone.’
I loved my meetings with David and Head Therapist Eddy Conroy, as well as other members of staff and the patients. I would always sit in on a group session and I really enjoyed those opportunities. I learnt a great deal during my visits to LEAP. I think very highly of David McCartney, and what he and his team have achieved over the years is amazing!
My Zoom interview with David, held on 30 March 2023, was edited into 15 films, totalling just over 76 minutes, for his Recovery Voices People section page. In addition, I edited a variety of clips from this interview for our Stories and Themes sections. Here are three of my favourite short clips of David’s interview taken from our Themes YouTube channel.
She Didn’t Know But I Did
‘I was standing in the queue with my whisky bottle in the basket when I became aware of someone standing behind me, and I turned to look and it was the sister of the man who had been in to see me [about his drinking problem] that afternoon.’ [3′ 02″]
He Told Me His Story
‘The doctor’s story about his recovery from addiction connected with me in a way the tablets hadn’t.’ [2′ 15″]
Everything Changed
After leaving residential rehab and with no job, David had to be interviewed by a doctor before he could sign on for benefits. His experience made him realise how his patients are likely treated. [2’50”]