Sir donald irvine biography template

His father had been involved in the formation of the RCGP in and Irvine would soon follow in its philosophy, [ 1 ] recognising the need to improve standards in general practice. At that time, a doctor could enter general practice with no requirement for further training and after completing just one year of hospital posts. He was also affected by the poor public perception of general practice in the s, reflected in Winston Churchill 's physician, Lord Moran's words in Irvine began to take up committee posts, first as regional adviser in general practice and then in the s, as a member of the Merrison Committee of Inquiry into the Regulation of the Medical Profession.

In his mid-thirties, and having also academically achieved a DObst in , an MD from Newcastle in and a FRCGP in , [ 1 ] he was the third person to be appointed honorary secretary of the council of the College, serving for seven years before stepping down in During his term he contributed to the College's evidence to the Royal Commission and to the central organisation of the three-year GP vocational training, organised on a regional basis, which provided training practices and a curriculum.

He demonstrated that setting standards for children was feasible. Between and , he served as the chairman of the RCGP council, [ 4 ] where he introduced the "quality initiative" which encouraged GPs to assess their day-to-day care in their own practices. Irvine chaired the GMC committee on professional standards and ethics [ 3 ] and has been credited for his drive "to make medical regulation in the UK more patient centred".

In , shortly after being knighted, [ 7 ] and with the concern over the GMC's disciplinary procedures and having the job of implementing performance procedures, [ 3 ] he was elected president of the GMC, the first ever GP to hold the office. In the s, a number of high-profile cases of medical failures had come to public attention during his tenure and had unsettling relations between doctors and their patients.

It was a difficult time for the medical profession and after the Bristol case and its subsequent public inquiry led by Sir Ian Kennedy , he faced further medical scandals, including the Alder Hey organs scandal and the case of Harold Shipman. He pushed for "revalidation", a five-yearly assessment of doctors' fitness to practise, which was later introduced in In Irvine's presidency was unsuccessfully challenged by obstetrician Wendy Savage , the first time anyone had stood in opposition of an incumbent president.

Many of the previous presidents had been elevated to the House of Lords and as he recorded in his memoirs of , his presidency years were not happy ones.

Sir donald irvine biography template

Denis Pereira Gray later stated that it "was a remarkable achievement to get the GMC to vote for revalidation". In , Irvine described "partnerships with patients, and accountability rather than professional autonomy In his communication to the GMC Committee — committee , he He became internationally known following his work with the Picker Institute.

Seven universities have awarded him honorary doctorates. As well as his interest in aviation, [ 4 ] he maintained an interest in ornithology and was able to recognise a bird from listening to its song. He was also interested in gardening. In , he married Margaret McGuckin, with whom he had two sons and one daughter. They divorced in He then married Sally Fountain in and divorced in In , he married nurse Cynthia Rickitt, who cared for him during his final two years of illness with heart and kidney failure.

He died at his home on 19 November He published his memoirs in Medical Professionalism and the Public Interest: Reflections on a Life in Medicine , which was reviewed and recommended by Denis Pereira Gray to all physicians who look to leadership roles, to patients, medical historians and to health policymakers. Contents move to sidebar hide. Article Talk.

Read Edit View history. Tools Tools. Download as PDF Printable version. In other projects. Wikidata item. British general practitioner. Portrait by Nick Sinclair , Newcastle upon Tyne , England. President of the GMC — Revalidation. Early life and education [ edit ]. Early career [ edit ]. RCGP [ edit ]. GMC and medical regulation [ edit ].

Later [ edit ]. Awards and honours [ edit ]. Periodicals Literature. Keyword Title Author Topic. Tributes to respected medical man. Tributes to respected medical man.. No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder. Next Article: Brothers jailed for horrendous attack; dispute over loan led to a cruel beating.

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