Professor Alan Maynard, professor of health economics at the well-respected and influential centre for health economics at the University of York, former chair of the York NHS Trust, and Pulse commentator, has died.
In a tweet on 2 February, his family said that Professor Maynard had died that afternoon after a long battle with renal cancer
The tweet said: ‘[Alan had] shown great courage and patience through a long illness. He died in York District Hospital where he worked for many years. We are all grateful for the great care he received from the NHS he loved and worked so hard to support.’
Colleagues and friends tweeted their condolences.
The International Health Economics Association said: ‘We are so sorry to hear of the loss of Alan Maynard, who has inspired generations of health economists. IHEA mourns the loss of an eminent thinker and leader.’
Broadcaster and author Dr Ben Goldacre described Professor Maynard as ‘clueful and mighty’ and economist Professor Tony Culyer called Professor Maynard one of the ‘founding fathers of health economics in the UK’, saying that his ‘wit and wisdom’ would be hugely missed by friends and colleagues, many of whom he launched in their careers.
Professor Maynard’s research interests included the use of financial incentives and performance management of doctors, and he wrote many controversial papers on topics including the impact of the QOF on GP behaviour, as well as writing on efficiency and equity, quality and outcomes, health care financing, markets and competition, workforce, primary care budget holding, pharmaceutical purchasing, and alcohol & drug abuse.
Professor Maynard was also an outspoken commentator on the regulation of the pharmaceutical industry.
