Henk Lamberts

Henk Lamberts’s work included coauthorship of the International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC) and international research into the content of general practice. He was not thrown by anything or anyone in life, but ill health took away first his eyesight and finally the integrity of his nervous system, leading to his untimely death at the age of 68.

Apart from being a scientist of the first order with drive and a penetrating intellect, Henk was a polymath, a lateral thinker, and fun to be with. At the annual Wonca (World Organization of Family Doctors) classification meetings, colleagues would compete to be asked to dine with him because he was entertaining and challenging, no matter what disagreements had preceded the evening meal: for Henk’s formidable intellect was difficult to challenge unless one was fully and evidentially prepared. His command of the English language matched the most erudite native English speaker, and he had always read the most recent English literature as well as the academic literature relevant to his world.