In 1968, still only 21 and very wet behind the ears, Newcastle University gave me a degree in Medicine. After spells as a P&O Surgeon and as a trainee in Kentish Town, I found myself working as a family doctor in Abingdon on Thames for 30 years. In 1976 I acquired my first Cardiac Pacemaker, these experiences led to a lifelong interest in genuine Doctor Patient communications. Inspired to try to improve communication between patients and health care providers I became involved with the Royal College of General Practitioners and was one of their examiners from 1981. Still struggling to improve Doctor Patient Communication I led the introduction of the Video module in 1996, retired as Chief Examiner in March 2006 and was awarded the MBE for services to general medical practice in 2008. At Andrew Bax's request (he founded Radcliffe Medical press) I wrote the first edition of The Doctor’s Communication Handbook in 1993 and have just published the 8th edition (August 2019), with young Cambridge GP Dr Francesca Frame as joint author. Bedside Matters: a journey through Doctor Patient communication was published in November 2020, with the same two authors.
Dear Peter,
Other writing includes The Other Side of Medicine, a collection of essays and short stories which was published in 2006, Seasickness, a novel based on my experiences as a young ship’s surgeon, The Seanachai an Irish Ghost Story and The Curatage (think Vicarage) Ghost a story for grandchildren based on the house where we lived in Corfe-Castle. They are all available on Amazon. I was a co-author of The Consultation (1983) and The New Consultation (2003) OUP with David Pendleton, Theo Schofield and Peter Havelock. I have lectured widely on communication issues and am now retired and live with my beautiful artist wife Judy, in Poundbury, Dorchester. I have a Facebook Author page and Amazon Author page. You can contact me at: peter.spud@gmail.com
