OBITUARIES

Els Borst-Eilers Patient centred doctor and politician whose work led to the ’ progressive legislation

Els Borst-Eilers (b 1932; q Universiteit van Borst grew 1958), d 10 February 2014. up in a Jewish neighbourhood Els Borst was never vague about her opinions— in Amsterdam especially on —but everyone agrees during the second that she was always polite; never aggressive. world war. She Convinced that the wishes of hopelessly suffer- ing patients should be respected, she was proud remembered her to pass in 2001 the first national euthanasia law. neighbours being The dignified and peaceful death she wished for rounded up, and others, however, was denied her. In February being forced to 2014 Borst, 81, was found dead at her home. watch public Police believe she was murdered or a victim of executions manslaughter. Borst grew up in a Jewish neighbourhood in

Amsterdam during the second world war. She ANP remembered her neighbours being rounded up, and being forced to watch public executions. available evidence,” but always recognised that policy, published by the BMJ in 1988, “If Dutch Eventually evacuated suffering from malnutri- medical decisions were never entirely rational doctors are exceptional at all it is perhaps in their tion, the 13 year old daughter of a mattress factory and still had to “feel good.” By 1992 Borst was wish to subject their actions to public scrutiny.”1 director decided she would become a doctor. She supporting doctors in applying such decisions In 1991 she sat on the Remmelink committee of did not want to stand by feeling powerless and in practice as professor of evaluation research at inquiry that was aimed at breaking the silence on guilty next time; she would help wounded people. Amsterdam University. euthanasia practice. It would be a further decade She studied medicine at Amsterdam Univer- In 1994 Borst, aged 62 and now a public figure before, the vote passed, she could declare, “It is sity, qualifying in 1958, by which time she had with a talent for television, “reluctantly” accepted finished”—provoking a further storm of protest met her husband, Jan Borst, one of several doc- the invitation to become health minister. She later from Dutch Christians as these were Christ’s last tors from a medical family. She went on to jug- said it was the best job she ever had. Faced with words on the cross. gle a career, study, and family life; raising three a 1.3% cap on health spending and public alarm Menno van Leeuwen said, “That was how she children, studying paediatrics then immuno- over waiting lists, she needed all her wisdom, con- felt. It was her major achievement. It was brave, haematology, and gaining a doctorate in medical tacts, and argumentative charm to succeed. She considering the opposition of certain religious science. In 1969 she became head of the blood held the post for eight years—longer than most groups here, but also in other countries.” Rigter bank of Utrecht University Hospital, and by 1976 health ministers. During this time she passed up explained that Borst was proud to be the per- she was the hospital’s medical director. to 100 new laws that included establishing the son to bring to an end decades of political and It was as vice president of the Health Council rights and duties of doctors and patients dur- social debate, “She felt she had qualified as a from 1985 to 1994 that she first came to promi- ing medical treatment, restricting the sale of politician.” nence. She was prolific; perhaps finding solace cigarettes, and laying the basis for a single health After 1994 Borst continued to participate in her work in the years after the death in 1988 insurance package for all. in medicine, chairing the Dutch Federation of of her husband. She coauthored seminal council She was always viewed as more of a doctor than Cancer Patient Organisations (NFK), opposing reports. One of the most notable was “Medical a politician but grew into the role of wise older smoking, and challenging fundamental religious treatment at a crossroad” (Medisch handelen stateswoman. A former executive director of the opposition to measles vaccination. op een tweesprong), which espoused ideas of Health Council, Henk Rigter, who had headhunted For van Leeuwen her most important achieve- evidence based medicine, reasserted the role of Borst in 1985, said, “She was not someone who ment was “to put the patient centre stage.” He patients, and took doctors in a different direction, accomplished things by banging her fists on the believes that despite taking tough political deci- away from a focus on increasingly expensive high table. She made people feel at home. They trusted sions, patients’ groups recognised her commit- tech treatment. her. She could make jokes with a twinkle in her ment and “adored her.” One, speaking at her The then president of the Dutch Medical eye, but there was often a little sting in the tail.” memorial service, recalled that Borst had once Association, Menno van Leeuwen, an associate The high point of her political career came in been told by a consultant oncologist that it was professor in medical physiology at Amsterdam 2001, when the Dutch parliament agreed the first a shame he only had 10 minutes to talk to his University, said, “Medicine was until then seen as national law in the world allowing doctors per- patients. Borst replied, “No, you are only paid for being about treatment. They said, ‘no,’ it is more forming euthanasia or assisted suicide under spe- 10 minutes.” than that, it is also diagnosis, taking medical his- cific criteria to avoid criminal prosecution. Borst Predeceased by her husband, Jan, Els Borst tory, and communication … It all revolved around was part of a generation of Dutch doctors who had leaves two sons, and a daughter. the patient, not the doctor, and not the medical struggled to tackle the issue since the first of many Tony Sheldon procedure.” Van Leeuwen stressed that Borst legal test cases was fought in 1973. She co-wrote a References are in the version on bmj.com. believed medicine should be based on the “best carefully marshalled defence of Dutch euthanasia Cite this as: BMJ 2014;348:g1917

BMJ | 5 APRIL 2014 | VOLUME 348 25 OBITUARIES

John enjoyed his work and was an Charles Christopher Hunter (“Chris”) hospital out of normal practice hours. Lesley Alison Margaret expert in the art of old fashioned became surgeon lieutenant and In retirement he gardened and took Evans general practice, passing on many tips medical officer on board a county up picture framing and upholstery. to his daughter and granddaughter, class missile destroyer, HMS He enjoyed art, theatre, and travel, who both trained as GPs. His Glamorgan, in 1974. His placement stopped skiing only in his 80s, and special interest was in occupational on that particular ship was perhaps a continued to swim in the river near health, and he was also chairman portent, given that his career was to the family holiday home in the south of the local medical committee. culminate in his being appointed, in of France until his 91st year. He leaves After retiring he returned to his roots 1998, consultant forensic psychiatrist his wife, Muriel, a radiologist, and a in north Yorkshire. John leaves his to the Mid Glamorgan and South daughter. wife, Margaret; three daughters; Glamorgan health authorities and, in Elizabeth Sheridan Former consultant geriatrician eight grandchildren; and five great 1999, clinical director of the South Cite this as: BMJ 2014;348:g1884 Taunton (b 1943; q University grandchildren. Wales Forensic Psychiatric Service College Hospital, London, 1969; Margaret Exley, Penelope Duncan, based at the Caswell Clinic, Bridgend. Reginald Arthur Shooter MSc, MRCP), died from multiple Rachel Duncan Previous positions included that of myeloma on 28 January 2014. Cite this as: BMJ 2014;348:g1883 acting medical director at Park Lane Lesley Alison Margaret Evans (née Hospital on Merseyside throughout Wills) believed that geriatric medicine David Garrod the late 1980s. In 1995 Chris’s was the last bastion of true general skills as a clinician and knowledge medicine, and she especially enjoyed of mentally ill offenders made him a working as part of a team with the valuable member of the parole board. therapists, nurses, and social workers. As a consequence of type 2 diabetes, In 1994 she had a breakdown from Chris had his left leg amputated burnout and stress, and was forced to in 2008 and, although he lived Bacteriologist (b 1916; q St give up her career. Lesley developed independently for his remaining years, Bartholomew’s Hospital Medical light chain myeloma in 2011 and had his overall health deteriorated until School, 1940; CBE, MA, MD, FRCP, an autologous stem cell transplant, a chest infection lead to pneumonia FRCS, FRCPath), d 24 December which gave her only a few months of General practitioner Wokingham, and eventual multiple organ failure. 2013. remission before the disease returned. Berkshire (b 1924; q St He leaves two sisters and a brother. Reginald Arthur Shooter (“Reggie”) She had several pathological fractures Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, Harry Newman gave wartime service as a surgeon owing to particularly aggressive bony 1949), died from fibrosarcoma on Cite this as: BMJ 2014;348:g1876 lieutenant in the Royal Naval disease, and chemotherapy gave her 22 February 2013. Volunteer Reserve from 1943 to another remission of a few months, David Garrod went up to Trinity Cyril Sheridan 1945. In 1946 he was stationed at which enabled her to enjoy drives on Hall, Cambridge, in 1943, where the Royal Navy hospital in Kilmacolm, her beloved Exmoor. Her interests he excelled at rowing. Later he was where he met Jean Wallace, his were hill walking, riding, reading, selected for the 1948 Olympic trials, future wife. He held many public and and classical music. She leaves her and in 2012 he was honoured as part professional appointments in his husband, Andy. of the celebrations for the London specialty, but it was smallpox that Ian Kelham Olympic Games. He married Gwyn brought him into the wider public Cite this as: BMJ 2014;348:g1877 Glynne, in 1951. On being called up to gaze when, in 1979, he was asked the army, he was posted to Benghazi by the government to chair an official John Exley and returned to the UK to join the inquiry into the circumstances practice in Wokingham, where he General practitioner Edmonton, surrounding the death of medical would spend his entire career. London (b 1921; q London 1951; photographer Janet Parker. She was He and Gwyn were enthusiastic MRCS), died from a cardiac event exposed to the virus when involved in supporters of national opera, and secondary to aortic stenosis in the a laboratory accident and was the last also enjoyed boating and walking postoperative period after surgery person ever to die from the disease holidays in the Lake District and north for relapsed signet ring carcinoma in September 1978. Shooter’s Wales. He was also a keen golfer and of the stomach on 21 June 2013. “Report of the Investigation into bricklayer, and an active member of In the mid-1950s Cyril Sheridan set the Cause of the 1978 Birmingham his local rotary club. He leaves Gwyn; up his own singlehanded practice Smallpox Occurrence” revealed a Former general practitioner four children; six grandchildren; and in a small end of terrace house in catalogue of shortcomings in the Gosport, Hampshire (b 1921; one great grandchild. Dysons Road, Edmonton. He remained management of the laboratory and q 1943), died from metastatic Tim Garrod there until his retirement in 1993, triggered radical changes in how prostate cancer on 27 May 2013. Cite this as: BMJ 2014;348:g1872 also working with another practice in dangerous pathogens are studied in After serving in the navy during Tottenham. He did locum work in the the UK. Predeceased by Jean in 2012, the second world war, John Exley Charles Christopher Hunter area until he was nearly 80 and was Reggie leaves a son, three daughters, fortuitously met a former naval friend active on GP committees from the 12 grandchildren, and three great on Fareham High Street and was Consultant forensic psychiatrist 1960s through to the 80s, proposing grandchildren. invited to join his practice in Gosport, (b 1950; q 1973; MRCS, DPM, ideas, quite ahead of their time, for GP Anthea Roe, Matthew Roe where he worked for nearly 40 years. FRPsych), d 18 December 2013. cooperatives with members based in Cite this as: BMJ 2013;348:g1241

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