Robert Twycross

Recollecting Oxford Medicine: Oral Histories

Derek Hockaday interviews Robert Twycross, physician and pioneer of palliative care and medicine, 7 August 2018. Topics discussed include: (00:00:14) idea to come to Oxford to study medicine; (00:01:13) the admissions process to Oxford Medical School, by St Peters college; (00:04:10) Path and Bac courses after schools, schools work and lecturers; (00:06:15) clinical training; (00:09:48) house jobs with firms in Oxford; (00:14:12) support from ward sisters and other staff during houseman days; 00:16:09 applying for senior house officer jobs, Lancaster; (00:18:11) deciding to go into holistic and palliative care; (00:24:00) St Christopher's as research fellow 1971; (00:26:10) terminal care across hospitals in 1960s-1970s, teaching of Cicely Saunders; growth of communication skills in terminal care; (00:30:31) doctorate research at St Christopher's on use of diamorphine in cancer pain; (00:40:53) Sobell house, Oxford 1976; (00:54:30) patient referrals to Sobell House and domiciliary visits; (01:00:50) increase of beds for Sobell House, conversion of unit to a mini Day Centre; (01:02:58) funding for Sobell House, National Society for Cancer Relief; (01:07:31) teaching clinical students; (01:11:28) deciding between university academic post or NHS consultant later in career; (01:15:05) changes once beginning university readership 1988; (01:19:56) importance of nurses; (01:22:42) laboratory and radiology support; (01:24:00) international teaching and teaching in conjunction with the World Health Organisation; (01:27:57) interaction with anaesthetists; (01:30:10) setting up the Association of Palliative Medicine for the UK and Ireland, experiencing burnout; (01:35:42) writing and publishing books. Note the following sections of audio is redacted: 00:50:24-00:50:30.