Donald Irvine
b 1935, general practitioner, Ashington
Morpeth, Northumberland, 27/09/96
| ||
Morpeth, Northumberland, 27/09/96 | |
A pioneer of good management practices in family medicine, Donald Irvine started as a general practitioner in a Northumberland mining community just as general practice was changing from a cottage industry (often based on the doctor's own house) to today's modern specialty, with teams housed in purpose-built health centres. The new concept demanded sophisticated management, which Irvine helped to develop and expound. He has also had a major role in the evolution of medical ethics, and is currently president of the General Medical Council, the first general practitioner to hold the post. |