Tribute to former village GP who held role for nearly 30 years

Dr Philip Handfield-Jones, GP in the village from 1954 to 1983, passed away on October 14 at his home in Cornwall.

Dr Handfield-Jones is credited with designing and commissioning the building of the village’s health centre.

Before the building of the centre the surgery was in the home of Dr Handfield-Jones and his wife Heather, who assisted with the running of the practice.

Dr Handfield-Jones was also a leading light in GP education and his work was widely published in medical journals in which he often put forward views that were way ahead of his time.

He was one of the world’s first GP trainers and a founding member of the Royal College of General Practitioners.

Dr Handfield-Jones and his wife moved to Cornwall upon their retirement in 1983.

A message on the Haddenham Medical Centre website said that it was with ‘great sadness’ that they announced the news of Dr Handfield-Jones’ passing.

It read: “His photograph still hangs in our Education Room and consequently, we are often asked about him by the medical students and young doctors we train as well as other visitors to the practice.

“We know many in the village still remember him with great affection and respect.

“The family have requested donations to the RNLI in lieu of flowers.”