A doctor who died of Covid-19 at Royal Berkshire Hospital has been awarded a posthumous fellowship by the Royal College of Physicians.
Consultant Dr Peter Tun, 62, passed away on Monday, April 13, at the Royal Berkshire Hospital‘s intensive care unit after contracting the coronavirus.
The fellowship is a mark of achievement and skill as a doctor, recognising the fellow’s contribution to the profession.
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Dr Tun is believed to be the first person been awarded a fellowship posthumously after dying in hospital.
His family have been invited to accept the accolade of RCP fellowship on his behalf at a fellowship ceremony, when these events are able to resume.
A spokesman for the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are so proud to see Dr Peter Tun recognised with this posthumous fellowship.
“He was a hugely respected member of the Royal Berkshire team and very highly regarded, both here and more widely, in his field of expertise in neurological rehabilitation.”
The family of Dr Tun say he died because of a lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at the hospital, while the trust says it followed strict national guidelines on the correct and appropriate use of PPE.
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An associate specialist in neuro-rehabilitation at Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, the father-of-two was a graduate from the University of Medicine, Yangon, Myanmar in 1981.
He started his career as a research medical officer for the World Health Organization-sponsored ‘Risk approach in the delivery of maternal and child healthcare project’.
From 1985 to 1994 Dr Tun then worked as a GP across the villages of the Ayeyarwady Delta and was an advocate for providing education as a tool to transform the lives of the community he served.
He moved to the UK in 1994, initially living in west Yorkshire before moving to London and eventually settling in Reading in 1998. Dr Tun became a member of the RCP in 1997.
Professor Donal O’Donoghue OBE, registrar at RCP, said: “As physicians we have two jobs: to provide good care today and better care tomorrow.
“This is exactly what Dr Tun did, day in and day out as his career took him into research, postgraduate medical education and delivering a neuro-rehabilitation service.
“Sadly, he died of COVID-19 in April – may he rest in peace.
“One might argue that election to fellowship should’ve come earlier,”
Dr Tun’s passion was education and he put that love into practice, according to Dr Emma Vaux, RCP past vice president for education and training.
She said: “He was a very special, humble doctor and a family man who loved all things education.
“He was continually striving to improve conditions for others, especially staff and associate specialist doctors who held a distinct place in his heart.
“Peter loved the RCP and was a very proud member.
“We would always pause for a catch-up when passing in the hospital corridor, his smile lighting up his face.
“He would love drawing others into heartfelt education conversation.”
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