Dr Robert Julian Palmer
29/07/1944 to 06/05/2022
Place of birth: Sheffield, UK
Nationality: British
CRN: 551197
Education and qualifications
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General education |
St Mary’s Primary School, Twickenham, 1949-55; Hampton Grammar School, 1955-7. When his father, who was a Mason, died in January 1957, he was sent to The Royal Masonic School, Bushey, Hertfordshire, and was there from 1957 to 1962. St Mary’s Hospital Medical School, London from 1962 to 1968. |
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Primary medical qualification(s) |
MBBS, London, 1968 |
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Initial Fellowship and type |
FFARCS by Examination |
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Year of Fellowship |
1974 |
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Other qualification(s) |
DA, 1971; DRCOG, 1972; USA ECFMG and FLEX, 1976 |
Professional life and career
Postgraduate career
Robert Palmer was House Physician at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, London and then House Surgeon at Windsor from 1968 to 1969, followed by SHO in Casualty at Kingston in 1969. In 1970 he entered anaesthetics as an SHO at Westminster Hospital for a year, followed by four months as a registrar at Guy’s Hospital. Then he decided he wanted to leave London and made the dangerous career move of resigning from Guy’s and was SHO in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and then SHO in paediatrics and chest medicine in Chichester.
He thought he would go into general practice, but then changed his mind and returned to anaesthetics as a registrar in Poole (1973-4), then senior registrar on the Southampton & Winchester rotation (1974-7), including a year as clinical fellow in anaesthetics at McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
Rather than apply for a consultant job in UK, he decided to return to North America and was locum consultant anaesthetist at The Royal Jubilee Hospital, Victoria, BC, Canada (1977-8). In August 1978 he began a substantive appointment as attending anesthesiologist at The Memorial Hospital, Worcester MA, USA and also assistant professor of anesthesiology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester MA, USA. He held these posts until July 1990 when for family reasons he returned to the UK.
Back in the UK, he was a substantive consultant anaesthetist at Bronglais Hospital, Aberystwyth for 1990-93, and from 1993 in Portsmouth, where he remained until retiring on his 70th birthday in 2014.
Professional interests and activities
During his career he took a particular interest in obstetrical anaesthesia. While at Worcester Memorial Hospital he and a colleague set up the obstetric epidural service for the high risk perinatal center for Central Massachusetts, and he also set up the anesthetic resident rotation through the maternity unit. Also at Worcester Memorial Hospital he was Head of Department for three years, and he helped set up the Day Surgical Unit, and the Anesthetic Quality Assurance Program.
In Portsmouth he was originally involved with the anaesthetic department’s Continuing Medical Education Programme, and subsequently with phasing out anaesthetic rooms, and in writing and setting up a website of the History of Portsmouth Anaesthetic Departmen (www.bearmead.co.uk). For many years in Portsmouth he was involved with the rota for the private anaesthetic group which was designed to prevent any interference with NHS duties, and indeed provided NHS services when asked.
Other biographical information
He married Valerie Nunn on December 14th 1974. He met her at Chichester Hospital where she was a student nurse. They had three daughters, Susannah (specialty doctor in anaesthetics in Portsmouth), Carla (physiotherapist in Edinburgh) and Kate (social worker in Chichester), and eight grandchildren.
At medical school he was captain of the St Mary’s Hospital swimming club, and played water polo for London University (where he was awarded a ‘purple’), and British Universities and Surrey. In 1968 he was the co-recipient of the Bannister Trophy for St Mary’s sportsperson of the year from Sir Roger. Also he was in the mountaineering and tennis clubs at St Mary’s.
Later in life he was on three occasions the GB age group champion in the 200 metre backstroke, and he held a European and GB record in the 4 by 200 metre freestyle relay representing his club, Otter SC.
Other interests were cycling, tennis and bridge. From 1973 to 2002 he was in the Territorial Army rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. During his time in North America he was on their reserve list.
In retirement, as osteoarthritis restricted his athletic endeavours, he became involved with the RCoA Lives of the Fellows project, and the “Population Matters” and “Chase Africa” organisations. Notably from 2018 he was Honorary Treasurer for the History of Anaesthesia Society. But foremost in his retirement years were regular commitments for his grandchildren. Living in Rowlands Castle, Hampshire, he was also involved with the Rowlands Castle, U3a.
Author and sources
Authors:
Dr Robert J. Palmer and Alistair McKenzie
Sources and comments:
Dr Palmer’s self-submitted RCoA ‘Lives Form’, 2017