Tributes paid to pioneering South Shields GP

Maurice Wood was a GP at Central Surgery in Westoe Road, South Shields, between 1950 and 1971.

He later moved to America with his wife Erica, where he passed away at his home in Virginia on March 11, aged 93.

In 1972, as a founding father of the North American Primary Care Research Group (NAPCRG), he helped pioneer a research organisation for family medicine.

Also, in 1972, Dr Wood joined Henk Lemberts, of the Netherlands, to form the Wonca International Classification Committee, working closely with the World Health Organisation.

Together, the pair created a new epidemiology tool for classifying and analysing data from family medicine clinical encounters.

Dr Francine Lemire, executive director and CEO of the College of Family Physicians of Canada, said Dr Wood’s vision, leadership, dedication and spirit inspired many family physician researchers across the globe.

She said: “Dr Wood was a brilliant physician and researcher, and delightful.

“I was impressed by his gentleness. I believe his quiet, but sustained determination was an important factor in the creation of NAPCRG.

“His efforts helped significantly enhance capacity building in family medicine and primary care research in the US, Canada, and beyond.”

Dr Wood was a family man, raising children Roger, Michael and Jane, and later four grandchildren and three-great-grandchildren.

Michael said: “My father worked all his life at staying active and acting younger than his age would suggest.”