Denis Murphy

Born and educated in Dublin, Denis Murphy came to London in 1977 to start psychiatric training at Guy’s Hospital. After working as a research fellow at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States, he returned to London in 1983. He specialised in forensic psychiatry at the Bethlem Royal and Maudsley Hospitals, also working at Maidstone medium secure unit and Broadmoor special hospital. In 1989 he became consultant at the forensic unit at Cane Hill Hospital.

From 1999 until his untimely death he was consultant at Lambeth Hospital (ward in the community) and Hopton Road, a low security forensic rehabilitation service he helped to establish and develop, and in whose ethos he strongly believed. Denis had a keen interest in psychoanalytic theory and in group processes. He completed the group analytic training in 1997 and was a loyal member of the International Association for Forensic Psychotherapy. He contributed to the group psychotherapy service at St Thomas’ Hospital and introduced group analytic principles to the forensic units. He published work in these areas. Denis also provided psychotherapeutic support and consultation to colleagues referred by the DSG (doctors’ support group). Denis was deeply committed to his work, the patients, the team, his colleagues, and making sense of the human condition.

Denis kept close links with his Irish roots. He was devoted to his family and loved sharing his wide interests in literature, history, theatre, travel, house swap holidays, walking, tennis, table tennis, and cycling. He cycled to work across London right to the onset of his final illness. Denis is sadly missed by patients, colleagues, friends, and family.

He leaves his wife, Eva; two daughters, Genny and Miranda; and two stepsons.