The Living Witness Programme

The living witness programme aims to record the recollections and experiences of pioneering, but now retired, urologists who have helped to shape the practice of modern urology.

These urologists will be interviewed and their recollections recorded for the education and enjoyment of contemporary and future urologists.

So far, four key urological figures from the recent past have been interviewed:

Professor John Blandy

Professor Blandy was born in India; he trained in Oxford, at The London Hospital and at St Peter’s Hospital. He was one of the most influential forces in the popularisation of TURP in the UK. John Blandy died on 23 July 2011, aged 83. Click here to read his obituary by the President of BAUS, Mr Adrian Joyce.

A summary of this interview was published in the British Journal of Medical and Surgical Urology 2011;4(4);135.

The "battle" to introduce TURP

Mr John Wickham

John Wickham worked at Bart’s and at The Institute of Urology, London. He was a pioneer of PCNL and laparoscopic urology. He is also seen as one of the "godfathers" of robotic urological surgery.

A summary of this interview was published in the British Journal of Medical and Surgical Urology 2012;5(3):111.

Early experiments with lasers and ureteroscopes

Sir David Innes Williams

Sir David Innes Williams was the first dedicated paediatric urologist. He was president of BAUS, of the RSM and of the BMA as well as Director of Postgraduate Medicine in London. He died on 3 May 2013 and an obituary will be available shortly.

A summary of this interview was published in the British Journal of Medical and Surgical Urology 2011;4(2):52.

Professor Richard Turner-Warwick

Professor Turner-Warwick studied in Oxford and at the Institute of Urology, London. He was a pioneer of functional urology and urodynamics. He designed surgical instruments still in use and excelled in reconstructive urology.