Postgrad Med J: first published as 10.1136/postgradmedj-2020-138876 on 15 September 2020. Downloaded from Editorial

encountered anybody during my clinical Dr Barry Hoffbrand: distinguished days who so embodied educa- tion”. Barry also contributed to teaching former editor of the Postgraduate and training through Boards of University College London and the University of Medical Journal London, as an examiner and councillor for the Royal College of and as Donald RJ Singer chairman of the North East Thames Higher Medical Training Committee. He had a long association with the Former Editor-in-Chief of the Postgraduate a strong advocate and campaigner for the Fellowship of Postgraduate Medicine Medical Journal Dr Barry Ian Hoffbrand Whittington, for its patients as their acute (FPM), a member of its Council from died suddenly on April 24, 2020 at the hospital and as an important training cen- 1978 and its honorary treasurer from age of 86. tre for medical students and junior doc- 1999 to 2000. The FPM founded the A prominent member of a generation of tors. From 2009 to 2015, he was Postgraduate Medical Journal (PMJ)in very bright young doctors at University founding chairman of the Whittington 1925 and the PMJ remains one of the College Hospital (UCH) in London who Hospital Organ Donation Committee. FPM’s two official journals. Barry’s asso- went on to distinguished careers, he was Throughout his clinical career, Barry ciation with the PMJ spanned over much admired for his keen intellect, clin- combined his interests in teaching and clin- 20 years, first as assistant editor from ical perception and skills, gentle good ical science. Over 130 of his publications 1972 to 1978 and then as its editor-in- humour and kindly nature, combined are listed on PubMed, his first paper a case chief from 1980 to 1993. In spite of being with a wonderfully sharp intelligence. report in 1963 in the British Medical a very busy at the Whittington 1 Professor Dame Jane Dacre remembered Journal on ‘BCG and sarcoidosis’, his Hospital, he was meticulous in his work as him as ‘a kind, witty, clever man, and last clinical science paper co-authored in editor. He is remembered by his FPM col- a great physician’. 1999 in Nature Genetics on a new gene for leagues and his Editorial Manager Mrs He was born in Bradford, West a deafness and renal tubular acidosis Jean Coops as always polite and charming 2 Yorkshire, to Philip Hoffbrand, a bespoke syndrome. to those who worked in the Fellowship and tailor, and Minnie (née Freedman), both Barry left an important legacy. He was its Journal office. In his role as editor-in- Protected by copyright. from Jewish families from Eastern an inspirational educator and a fine role chief, he built on the efforts of his prede- Europe. After Bradford Grammar School, model for his medical students (remem- cessors, modernising the journal, commis- he went up to read medicine from 1952 to bered by them as a ‘kind and gentle tea- sioning authoritative reviews and 1956 at The Queen’s College, Oxford, cher’) and his clinical trainees, highly editorials from a wide range of national where he was a keen member of the college regarded for his clinical curiosity and acu- and international expert clinicians and cricket team—the Quondams. He was men, lateral thinking, common sense and developing the PMJ into a “clinical educa- pleased to feature in the 1950s on the silver sound judgement. A typical impression: “I tional journal to rival the best”.3 He was Quondams Cup. Clinical training on have such fond memories of my year work- guest of honour at the PMJ’s 90th anniver- a Goldsmid scholarship followed from ing as his registrar—he taught me so many sary conference in October 2015 and was 1956 to 1958 at UCH , of the key skills you need to work as an active delegate at the age of 85 as guest London, where he was awarded prizes in a consultant physician—including listen- at the FPM’s Osler Centenary Conference clinical and haematology. His ing to your patients and looking after http://pmj.bmj.com/ postgraduate medical training was mainly your team”. His house officers were at UCH, where he was house physician to proud that he was the first consultant to Max (later Lord) Rosenheim, after an support junior doctors when they were in initial 6 months at St Luke’s Hospital, the spotlight for complaining to the press Bradford. He also spent a year as senior about their long working hours. research fellow from 1967 to 1968 at the In addition to Barry’s clinical interests, Cardiovascular Research Institute, at the he devoted great energy to postgraduate on October 12, 2020 by Donald Robert James Singer. University of California Medical Center medical education, becoming director of in San Francisco. Barry’s research on car- the Whittington’s Academic Centre for diovascular physiology lead to a DM in Postgraduate Medicine from 1975 to 1971 from Oxford University. 1981 and its chairman from 1985 to Barry was appointed in 1970 as 1987. With Peter Davies, Eric Beck and a consultant physician at the Whittington David Patterson, Barry helped establish Hospital and honorary senior clinical lec- and run the prestigious Whittington turer at UCH Medical School, with inter- Hospital MRCP course, complemented ests in general and renal medicine and by teaching sessions he ran on evenings hypertension, and went on to develop and weekends with support from his clin- a very effective department. ical staff. His colleague Professor John After his retirement in 1999, he remained Yudkin noted that Barry’s “commitment to the Whittington and in particular to its Fellowship of Postgraduate Medicine, London, UK reputation in education was clear for everyone to see. The Academic Centre Correspondence to Donald Singer, ” President, Fellowship of Postgraduate Medicine, was his real passion . A former registrar, Image courtesy of Philip Graham, Emeritus London W1G 9EB, UK; [email protected] Dr Tony Delamothe, said: “I never Professor of Child

Postgrad Med J September 2020 Vol 0 No 00 1 Postgrad Med J: first published as 10.1136/postgradmedj-2020-138876 on 15 September 2020. Downloaded from Editorial in December 2019, engaging keenly with and a strong supporter of its company. In Twitter Donald Singer @HealthMed. junior and senior presenters at the event. later life, Barry returned to painting, an Funding The author has not declared a specific grant Barry’s wide interest in culture, strong interest from his schooldays. He studied for this research from any funding agency in the public, fi intelligence and an easy ability to com- at the Hampstead School of Art and cre- commercial or not-for-pro t sectors. municate informed his congenial and ated many much admired paintings and Competing interests None declared. open-friendly manner. He was a greatly drawings. He combined a new interest in Patient consent for publication Not required. respected member of many medical art history with another great interest, the Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; societies, including the Society of , embarking on a series internally peer reviewed. Apothecaries (he was editor of The of lectures and publishing articles on © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. No Apocethary), the Harveian Society of themes ranging from the engravings of commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. which he was president and he was vice- Hogarth to doctors featuring in 17th- Published by BMJ. president of the Royal Society of century and 18th-century artworks, and Medicine. He was also president of the the fate of refugee Huguenot physicians. London Jewish Medical Society and His most recent publication was in early chairman of the Medical Committee of April this year in the Journal of Medical To cite Singer DR. Postgrad Med J Epub ahead of the Italian Hospital in Queen Square. Biography on ‘Joseph Wright of Derby print: [please include Day Month Year]. doi:10.1136/ He was a member of the Highgate and Dr Erasmus Darwin, the artist and his postgradmedj-2020-138876 4 Literary and Scientific Institute and physician’. Received 15 August 2020 when president of Probus he created an Barry’s vitality and engagement in art, Accepted 16 August 2020 enviable lecture programme, while well medicine, history, Judaism, politics and so Postgrad Med J 2020;0:1–2. able to replace an indisposed speaker at many aspects of life was infectious and doi:10.1136/postgradmedj-2020-138876 very short notice. endearing. He was a keen correspondent ORCID iD He continued his passion for cricket as both in the medical and in the public press Donald RJ Singer http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8870- a member of the Marylebone Cricket Club, on matters about which he felt strongly. 3584 kept an interest in Bradford Northern Barry will live on through the patients he Rugby Football Club(later Bradford Bulls) treated, the doctors he taught, his publica- REFERENCES and was an enthusiast for music and art. tions, his art, his family and everyone who 1 Hoffbrand BI. B.C.G. and sarcoidosis. Br Med J – A frequent visitor to performances of knew and loved him. In 1961, Barry married 1963;1:658 9. Protected by copyright. chamber music and opera, he would often Marina Morduch, a fellow student at UCH, 2 Karet FE, Finberg KE, Nelson RD, et al. Mutations in the gene encoding B1 subunit of H+ - ATPase cause renal attend the Wigmore Hall and enjoyed London, who became a psychiatrist. He is tubular acidosis with sensorineural deafness. Nat Genet dress rehearsals at the English National survived by Marina, their three children, 1999;21:84–90. Opera, where he would sometimes meet Sara, Julia and Rachel, seven grandchildren 3 Graham P. Barry Ian Hoffbrand: national leader in post- his daughter Rachel who trained and and his younger brother Victor Hoffbrand, graduate medical education. BMJ 2020;369:m2581. 4 Hoffbrand BI. Joseph Wright of Derby and Dr Erasmus worked there. Barry was also a friend of Emeritus Professor of Haematology at Darwin, the artist and his physician. J Med Biogr 2020 Hampstead Garden Opera, “full of ideas” University College, London. (Apr 06: Online ahead of print). http://pmj.bmj.com/ on October 12, 2020 by Donald Robert James Singer.

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