Peter Maguire

Professor of psychological medicine who helped put communication skills training on the agenda for all healthcare staff and who promoted the role of the specialist cancer nurse

Since 2004 all future cancer specialists in the United Kingdom have been expected to receive specific training in how best to communicate with patients. This achievement resulted, in no small part, from the work of Peter Maguire, professor of psychological medicine at the University of Manchester.

Peter's early research showed that many patients in a medical ward had anxiety or depressive illnesses, which added to their suffering; these patients were not receiving any help with their psychological distress because their doctors were unaware of it. Over the next 30 years Peter devoted his professional life to overcoming this problem, especially in the field of cancer. He first demonstrated the various ways that doctors and nurses might prevent patients expressing their real worries or distress during clinical interviews. He went on to train healthcare staff to change their style of interviewing so that they could elicit patients' concerns and give difficult information without overwhelming patients.

To achieve the changes he sought, Peter had to engage senior medical and nursing staff. He was prepared to challenge any complacency with a combination of hard data, recordings of their own interviews, a wealth of his own research findings, his personal charm, and a great sense of determination. His efforts attracted the attention of the Cancer Research Campaign (now Cancer Research UK), which funded his work for over 15 years. This enabled him to complete a unique set of research studies, develop interventions to help patients and families to cope with their predicament, and train hundreds of healthcare professionals worldwide. His work, with that of others in this field, has put communication skills training for all healthcare staff on the agenda in both undergraduate and postgraduate training and has promoted the role of the specialist cancer nurse in the United Kingdom.

Peter was responsible for developing the careers of many who went on to instigate his training methods and further research throughout the United Kingdom. He delivered training around the world: in Europe, the United States, Africa, and Australia. He was never possessive of his ideas and gained greatest satisfaction when other countries and cultures adapted his training model and refined it to their own needs, notably in Scandinavia and India. In recognition of the international importance of his work the American Academy for Physician and Patient recently awarded him the George Engel Award and the International Society of Psycho-Oncology gave him the Arthur Sullivan Award.

Throughout his professional career Peter maintained a busy clinical practice, meeting the needs of seriously depressed cancer patients and their relatives at the Christie Hospital, Manchester, and helping those struggling with traumatic bereavements. He always contended that to work directly with patients and their families was essential if he was to maintain the validity and integrity of his training and academic work.

At a celebration of his work in 2004 many senior clinicians made it clear that their choice of specialty had been influenced by Peter's work and all gave testimony to his personal interest in them and their work. Some made it clear that the Maguire model had influenced cancer care in their country or region. The work now continues at the Maguire Communication Skills Training Unit, with initial funding from the Sir Edward Holt Trust, Cancer Research UK, and the local cancer network.

Peter Maguire was born in 1941 and grew up in Churchtown, near Garstang in Lancashire. He attended Lancaster Grammar School, from where he obtained a scholarship to study medicine at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. It was here that he was able to pursue his love of choral music, soccer, and coxing the college crew, and that his love of fine wine first developed.

After further study at St Mary's Hospital Medical School, London, Peter trained in psychiatry at Edinburgh and Oxford, where he broke new ground by establishing collaborative research between the disciplines of psychiatry and surgery, before moving to Manchester for 30 years. Here he established and directed the CRC Psychological Medicine Research Group.

He leaves a partner, four children, and five grandchildren.

George Peter Maguire, former professor of psychological medicine Manchester (b 1941; q Cambridge/St Mary's Hospital, London, 1965), d 7 October 2006.