Alastair Bellingham was professor of haematological medicine at King’s College, London and president of the Royal College of Pathologists. He was born in Surrey. His father, Stanley Herbert Bellingham, was an accountant; his mother was Sybil Mary Bellingham née Milne. Like many of his generation, he was evacuated during the war, spending time in Berkshire. This did not hold him back and, showing the drive he was known for, gained a place at a grammar school, Tiffin Boys’ School in Kingston, and became the first in his family to go to university. Even at that age medicine beckoned and he graduated from University College Hospital Medical School in 1962.
Attracted to haematology, he spent time at the University of Washington in Seattle in 1969, before returning to University College London (UCL) where, under the direction of Ernie Huehns, he expanded his interest in red cell disorders. His work on the oxygen infinity curve led to many important papers in high-impact journals. A post as a consultant haematologist at UCL followed in 1971 before he was enticed to Liverpool in 1974 with the challenge of developing a new department as chair of haematology at the University of Liverpool, and an honorary consultant to the Royal Liverpool Hospital at the relatively young age of 36.
He maintained his interest in red cell disorders, particularly the haemoglobinopathies and red cells enzyme defects, building a strong research programme. He also stimulated the care of patients with all types of haematological conditions, but particularly those with leukaemia and lymphoma, building the department we see today. He was one of that generation of haematologists who saw the importance of a strong clinical approach while maintaining an association with the laboratory. A generation of trainees has subsequently benefitted from this approach.
It was of no surprise that, in 1984, Alastair was approached to take on the post of professor of haematology and head of department at King’s College School of Medicine and Dentistry. He could not resist the attraction of the deprived Afro-Caribbean communities in south east London where sickle cell disease was a major clinical and social problem. It was a wise decision by Eric Stroud, the chair of child health, who recognised a like-minded spirit, to develop the service for this poorly-served group. From 1984 to 1997, Alastair’s vision would transform the haematology department at King’s into a world-class unit and lay the foundations for one of the premier academic departments in the country. While developing a first class clinical and laboratory team with facilities that were state of the art, he recognised the need for more than that, helping champion the community services with the South East London Sickle Cell and Thalassemia Centre with its counselling and support services. He was also an early advocate for neonatal screening for sickle cell disease, which he developed with his colleagues, Mary Horn and Moira Dick.
As head of department he followed his philosophy developed in Liverpool, supporting all aspects of haematology. His encouragement of the treatment of leukaemia and lymphoma has provided a unit that not only provides a service for the south east, but is both nationally and internationally renowned. He worked closely with charities to improve patient care with the Elimination of Leukaemia Fund developed in 1977, now known as Leukaemia UK, with the aim of supporting research and the emotional well-being of patients undergoing intensive chemotherapy. He retired from King’s in 1997.
Alastair was a leading force in the modernisation of UK haematology. As president of the British Society for Haematology (BSH) in 1991, along with others, he turned the society into a proper charity and developed BSH Conferences as its trading arm. With the renegotiation of the relationship with Blackwells, which published the society’s journal, the British Journal of Haematology, an income stream for the society was established that has led it to become a leading force in the profession, supporting training, education and research while championing haematology as a crucial specialty in modern medicine.
As a leading force in non-malignant haematology and in sickle cell disease, he was very international in his approach and had many links overseas. His many trips to Nigeria and Jamaica attest to his global reach. He decided that instead of the annual BSH scientific meeting he would bid for the world congress of the International Society of Hematology (ISH), which he successfully hosted on the South Bank in 1992, in conjunction with the then ISH president, David Weatherall. The meeting was a great success attracting over 4,000 delegates and was an opportunity to highlight UK haematology and its links with the wider scientific community. Alastair subsequently became vice president of the ISH and his links with the two societies allowed him to develop his great interest in teaching and training and support for those coming into the specialty.
In 1993 Alastair became president of the Royal College of Pathologists, a role that allowed him to develop his interests in training and education and in the fostering of international relations. He also had an early interest in information technology and its potential benefits to medicine. This subsequently led to his chairmanship of the NHS Information Authority in 1999, a post he held until 2005. He was also keenly interested in the whole area of good governance (before the term was invented) and it was under his presidency that John Lilleyman developed the accreditation process for diagnostic pathology. With clinical pathology accreditation, pathology became the first specialty to rigorously assess its working practices. The work was supported by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, of which Alastair was a founding member, and subsequently under the guidance of the UK Accreditation Service many other areas have seen the importance of such schemes to patients and commissioners. Alastair carried out his duties assiduously despite the serious illness of his first wife, Jill, over the period of his presidency. Jill supported him with great courage, accompanying him to many college events.
At the time of his retirement in 1997 his work in information technology had led Alastair to question the implications of the widespread dissemination of so much information and he became a member of the Caldicott implementation committee on patient confidentiality and also chaired the confidentiality advisory group for the Department of Health. With his inquisitive mind, empathy and wide range of connections he remained a very popular source of advice and support long into his retirement.
Alastair was a man with an enormous drive and a strong will. He approached everything with real energy and would support any aspect of haematology. He was a generous and entertaining host and was a great mentor and support to those involved in the specialty.
One of Alastair’s great passions was viniculture and any visit to his house in Beckenham entailed a visit to the greenhouse and a ritual sampling of the product, a rather fruity white wine – surely the only working vineyard in south east London.
Alastair was wholeheartedly supported by his wife Jill (née Morford): she followed him on his travels and they had three sons together. She became seriously ill just prior to his presidency of the Royal College of Pathologists, but enjoyed many of the events during his three-year tenure. She was able to enjoy the award of his CBE in 1997, but sadly died later that year. Alastair had retired at that stage but continued to be involved in medicine at many levels. He developed his life in his ‘semi-retirement’ in Wiltshire, marrying Julia (née Willott), with whom he spent many happy years.
Alastair’s career developed at a cusp for haematology and he was one of the leaders who asserted its clinical relevance while reaffirming the importance of the laboratory. He will be remembered for that and for his many achievements and will be missed by all who knew him.
Adrian Newland
[BMJ 2018 361 1825 www.bmj.com/content/361/bmj.k1825 – accessed 22 April 2020]