We are sad to announce the passing of Professor James McLay of Aberdeen.

James was a Fellow of the Society and former Chair of the Educational Working Party.

After earning a PhD in 1979 from the University of London, James graduated in medicine from the University of Aberdeen in 1983.  After early training he spent a short period in Dundee before joining Aberdeen University in March 1990 as a clinical lecturer, becoming a senior clinical lecturer in 1995.  He had an honorary Chair at Robert Gordon’s University.

James undertook a busy clinical load at NHS Grampian, being part of the team in General Medicine delivering inpatient and outpatient care.  He managed and delivered a significant component of the Grampian Hypertension service, including pregnancy clinics.   He had a specific interest in paediatric hypertension.

At the University of Aberdeen, he was one of the team who oversaw Scotland’s first cohort of Physician Associates – a revolutionary role created to address the needs and demands of a changing population – and went on to be the programme lead. He also made major contributions to the MSc in Clinical Pharmacology and to the MBChB programme, where he had a reputation for treating students as individuals and for having a unique teaching style.  He also taught Pharmacy students at Robert Gordon’s University.

From a research perspective James published widely in the areas of medication safety and hypertension.  More recent interests were prescribing in pregnancy and in childhood.  He supervised a large number of PhD students to completion, all of whom appreciated his mentorship and support.

On behalf of the BIHS Executive Committee, we have extended our sincere condolences to his wife Fiona and family.

Here is a link to a lecture given by James about children and hypertension: