In his obituary, written by Neena Modi, Professor of Neonatal Medicine at Imperial College London and previous RCPCH President, David is remembered as a multifaceted clinician and social justice advocate:
David was a leader among the medical lesbian and gay community, paediatrician at the confinements of HRH the Princess Anne in 1977 and 1981, and HRH the Princess of Wales in 1982 and 1984, an educator, researcher, socialist, Buddhist, bon vivant, polymath, and above all a champion for the disadvantaged, and an advocate for mothers and babies.
A pioneer of LGBTQ+ representation in healthcare
David Harvey began working with physicians at the forefront of newborn physiology in the 60s. At the time, neonatal medicine was emerging as a speciality and rapidly advancing. David was an advocate for newborns and their families; he championed donor breast milk for preterm babies and encouraged hospitals to open residential facilities for mothers and babies in intensive care. He went on to become a professor at Imperial College London and the Head of the Department of Paediatrics & Neonatal Medicine at Hammersmith and Queen Charlotte’s Hospitals.
David was a pioneer of LGBTQ+ representation in healthcare. In 1995, he helped found GLADD, the Gay & Lesbian Association of Doctors & Dentists. He was also a director of the Terence Higgins Trust, a UK charity established to support those at risk of HIV/AIDs. Both groups continue to provide essential services and information to the queer community. As highlighted in his obituary,
The era in which David made his name was conservative and one in which homophobia was by no means unknown but David was never afraid to acknowledge his homosexuality.
David’s influence extended far beyond the UK. He chaired the International Committee of RCPCH from 1997 to 2000, led many international paediatric organisations and was the Editor-in-Chief of the internationally recognised journals Early Human Development and World Paediatrics and Child Care.
Serving as an Overseas Training Advisor, David encouraged physicians to consider children’s health worldwide, particularly in developing countries. In a piece titled ‘Educating doctors abroad’ about his work with the BPA Overseas Committee, David wrote,
I am amazed that trainees are reluctant to work abroad because they feel doing so may damage their career. In fact, overseas work would enhance it.
In 1981, David even exchanged correspondence with Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan, where he discussed the planning of children’s and neonatal units. The exchange lives in the College archives, see below.
An outstanding contributor to paediatrics and child health
David was widely respected across the paediatric community. He held numerous College posts and contributed extensively to the Archives of Disease in Childhood journal over the course of his career. In 1999, David was awarded the James Spence Medal for ‘outstanding contributions to the advancement of paediatric knowledge’, notably his work on a policy on the ethics of commercial scholarship and his service as a Paediatrician to the Royal Household.
David stood down from his post as Head of Paediatrics at the Hammersmith and Queen Charlotte’s Hospitals in 1998 and passed away in 2010. He is memorialised by GLADD’s annual David Harvey award, which recognises significant contributions of LGBTQ+ health professionals to the field.
Professor David Harvey is remembered as a fierce advocate of vulnerable newborns and their families, the LGBTQ+ community and disadvantaged people. As we celebrate Pride, we hope David’s legacy can continue to inspire a more inclusive and compassionate future for the healthcare community.
Our history and archive
Our website has more information about history of the College. You can also access our online Archive Catalogue, where you can see the records we hold about our past as the British Paediatric Association (BPA) and a Royal College, and of the history of child health.
If you would like to access the archives, or you would like more information about our history and archives, please contact us on information.governance@rcpch.ac.uk.