Charles
http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2012/apr/27/chris-burford-obituary Chris Burford obituary
Dinah Hutchinson
guardian.co.uk, Friday 27 April 2012 06.50 EDT
Chris Burford The ideas of Chris Burford, a consultant psychiatrist at St Ann's hospital, Tottenham, were at first considered radical, but over the years earned him respect
My brother, Chris Burford, who has died aged 67 of a pulmonary embolism, was an NHS consultant psychiatrist. He worked for a large part of his professional life at St Ann's hospital, in Tottenham, north London.
His early work focused on adolescent mental health, and included treating young anorexia sufferers. Chris was keen to reduce the stigma attached to a range of mental health problems. He pioneered a team-based multi-disciplinary approach, with less reliance on medication and increased community-based support. His ideas were at first considered radical and controversial, sometimes unwelcome to the establishment, but over the years earned him respect.
He was born Dion Chris Burford in London, one of three children of Leon Burford, a businessman, and his wife, Joan. He was called Dion by his family but soon called himself Chris, in his medical work, and in other areas – a much more friendly and easily acceptable name than one based on ancient Greek.
He grew up in Wimbledon, where our mother ran a pre-preparatory school in the family home. Chris went to King's College school, Wimbledon, and then to Peterhouse, Cambridge, where he read history. Towards the end of his course, he decided he wanted to study medicine so, having finished his history degree, he returned home to study for science A-levels. He went back to Peterhouse to read medicine, qualifying in 1973.
He had a wide range of interests, among them religions including Buddhism, Islam and latterly the Quakers. In his youth, he travelled to mainland China, interested in communism. He studied German at the Goethe Institute. He campaigned against the regime in South Africa through Doctors Against Apartheid, and against poverty.
He was diagnosed with cancer in 2006 and retired in 2010, but remained very active. Only days before his death, he was preparing notes for a meeting.
His work on psychosis was known worldwide and he was involved in the International Society for Psychological and Social Approaches to Psychosis; an annual lecture in his name will be inaugurated this year by the society's US branch.
Chris was divorced. Our younger brother David predeceased him in 2008. He is survived by me and his nieces and nephews