John Stuart Brown obituary

Doctor whose lobbying led to a government sanctioned increase in minor surgery undertaken by GPs

In 1979, the British Medical Journal published an article by a Kent GP, John Stuart Brown, titled “Minor operations in general practice”.

Brown, who has died aged 90, wrote that undertaking an average of four minor operations a week in his GP surgery had huge advantages compared to referring patients to hospital. It was faster, more convenient for patients and cost-effective, saving the area health authority more than £15,000 a year. He estimated the average cost of a procedure in his GP surgery was £5, compared to £78.24 in hospital.