Richard Leach (physician)

Richard Mark Leach LVO is a British Consultant Physician and Professor at Guy's and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust,[1] who is accredited in general, respiratory and critical care medicine. He has pioneered multiple respiratory care techniques and been instrumental in the development of numerous NICE guidelines relating to acute medicine. It has been reported that he led the care of British prime minister Boris Johnson during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.[2]

Career

Leach graduated from the School of Medical Sciences, University of Manchester in 1982 and became a Lecturer in Medicine at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Medical School, London, in 1989. He gained an MD in 1992 and undertook travelling fellowships with the British Thoracic Society and Medical Research Council at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. In 1994 he was appointed Consultant Physician at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital contributing to teaching respiratory and general medicine and clinical research throughout his career.

He is on the European Specialist Register for Intensive Care, Respiratory and General (Internal) Medicine and has published widely including a number of medical textbooks. In 1997 he became a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (FRCP).

Over his career he has been instrumental in numerous national medical committees including the NHS Pathways Clinical Governance Committee, National Guideline Committee for Intravenous Fluid Administration in Adults, NCEPOD reports, General (Internal) Medicine and Respiratory Specialty Training Committees and RCP Medical Specialty and Nutrition Committees.

In 2006 he was appointed Clinical Lead for Acute Medicine at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital and subsequently Clinical Director from 2009-18 achieving ‘outstanding’ ratings in CQC assessments in 2016 and 2019.[3][4]

He was awarded a Readership in Medicine at King’s College London in 2015. Concurrently with his positions at Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Trust he was Deputy Medical Director at Medway Foundation Trust as part of National Health Service Improvement (NHSI) support (‘buddying’) team from 2015-2018.[5]

He became Clinical Director for Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine in 2018.\

Leach has been Joint Head of the Royal Medical Household for Clarence House since 2014.

Selected publications

  • Critical Care Medicine at a Glance (2014).[6]
  • The Respiratory System at a Glance (2015).[7]
  • The Oxford Desk Reference of Acute Medicine (2016).[8]
  • RM Leach, Treacher DF. The pulmonary physician in critical care 2: oxygen delivery and consumption in the critically ill. Thorax 2002;57:170-7.[9]
  • RM Leach, DW Sheehan, VP Chacko, JT Sylvester. Energy state, pH, and vasomotor tone during hypoxia in precontracted pulmonary and femoral arteries. Am. J. Physiol. (Lung Cell Mol Physiol) 2000;278:L294-L304.[10]
  • NT Bateman, RM Leach. Acute Oxygen Therapy. ABC of Oxygen. BMJ 1998;317:798-801.[11]

References

  1. ^ "Professor Richard Leach". King Edward VII's Hospital. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  2. ^ Gardner, Bill (7 April 2020). "Boris Johnson's battle against coronavirus being overseen by UK's leading lung doctor". The Telegraph – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  3. ^ "Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust St Thomas' Hospital Quality Report" (PDF). Care Quality Commission. 24 March 2016. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  4. ^ "Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust Inspection report" (PDF). Care Quality Commission. 23 July 2019. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  5. ^ "Health Secretary encouraged by signs of progress at Medway" (PDF). news@Medway July/August 2016. Medway NHS Foundation Trust. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  6. ^ "Critical Care Medicine at a Glance, 3rd Edition | Wiley". Wiley.com.
  7. ^ "The Respiratory System at a Glance, 4th Edition | Wiley". Wiley.com.
  8. ^ Leach, Richard; Moore, Kevin; Bell, Derek, eds. (30 June 2016). "Oxford Desk Reference: Acute Medicine". Oxford University Press.
  9. ^ Leach, R. M.; Treacher, D. F. (1 February 2002). "The pulmonary physician in critical care • 2: Oxygen delivery and consumption in the critically ill". Thorax. 57 (2): 170–177. doi:10.1136/thorax.57.2.170. PMC 1746239. PMID 11828050.
  10. ^ Leach, R. M.; Sheehan, D. W.; Chacko, V. P.; Sylvester, J. T. (1 February 2000). "Energy state, pH, and vasomotor tone during hypoxia in precontracted pulmonary and femoral arteries". American Journal of Physiology. Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology. 278 (2): L294 – L304. doi:10.1152/ajplung.2000.278.2.L294. PMID 10666113. S2CID 11752037.
  11. ^ Bateman, N. T.; Leach, R. M. (19 September 1998). "Acute oxygen therapy". BMJ. 317 (7161): 798–801. doi:10.1136/bmj.317.7161.798. PMC 1113909. PMID 9740573 – via www.bmj.com.


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