Michael John Peckham

Oncologist, administrator, and artist. He was born in Panteg, UK, on Aug 2, 1935, died of lymphoma London, 13, 2021, aged 86 years. To his colleagues medicine, Michael Peckham an oncologist administrator who happened to have a serious interest art. those came know him as artist, he painter earn living doctor. The distinction not one that bothered himself. Writing this journal 2018 piece entitled “Art oncology: life”, recalled 2 years military service when, young medical officer, wondering if should abandon medicine favour soon realised there no need. “I made between scientific artistic mind”, explained, “and I thought the separation artist doctor artificial”. trained UK at Cambridge University College London (UCL) Medical School, qualified 1959 and, following house jobs service, spent Institute Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France, working with Maurice Tubiana radiotherapy. returned 1967 join Royal Marsden Hospital Cancer Research where appointed Professor Radiotherapy 1973, post held until 1986. Jeffrey Tobias, now Oncology UCL, first met mid-1970s. “He very good clinician: astute, thoughtful, considerate. And ward rounds were fun.” As Tobias explains, Peckham's key contributions lay management Hodgkin testicular tumours. forefront emerging combination chemotherapy for teratoma.” Notable 1983 study showing bleomycin, etoposide, cisplatin offered cure rate equal existing treatment, but fewer side-effects. In lymphoma, adds, “he early recognised additive power radiotherapy together”. switched administration 1986 Director then British Postgraduate Federation, loose coalition specialist institutes London. This followed by national role response parliamentary report, asked become Development Department Health National Service (NHS). aim new directorate integrate research within everyday running NHS, ensure researchers tackled problems identified using delivering service. deputy part time Chris Henshall, consultant health technology assessment. “Michael man vision, hugely persuasive”, says. did charm offensive barons ran NHS regions…[to ensure] would be directors each region drive things forward.” succeeded. laid foundations for, among other things, Research, Technology Assessment Programme, development budget”, says Henshall. also wrote Lancet, making convincing case fundamental NHS. Sally Welham, Chief Executive Thoracic Society, assistant during these jobs, next UCL School Public Policy. She talks skill communicating people. “This served particularly well had vision future research, needed convey it clinicians, politicians, policy makers…He could make connections, bring board people might previously sat around table.” art exhibited 1960. Medicine often background painting—explicitly so Academy's 2004 Summer Exhibition which featured sketches clinical notes some patients. They caught eye Observer's critic. “Here is tenderness, tumour, hurt”, Laura Cumming wrote, describing “a powerful sense urgency about work”. different context, agrees. restless mind always wanted progress move field. best sense, bit hurry.” survived wife Catherine, Emeritus Paediatric Epidemiology Great Ormond Street Child Health, their children, Alexander, Daniel, Robert. Art lifeWhen decided doctor, science regarded separate entities. already immersed arts after qualifying doubts continuing helped having spend army last batch conscripts before ended. Paradoxically, being removed from conventional career ladder liberating. my own officer infantry battalion think what do Full-Text PDF Developing Service: model public servicesA major challenge government improve quality efficiency services ensuring policies designed effect change are translated into practice. test case. framework elaborated over past addresses inequalities, social exclusion, cross-sector working, improved services, inadequate estate, information systems. Although essential stimulating creating environment change, alone they cannot achieve it.