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Andy Fletcher collapsed and died aged 33 on 28^th September 2008 having completed the Sandringham Estate 10K Run in support of Cancer Research UK. Prior to starting medical training he gained a first class degree in Natural Sciences and a PhD in physiology from the University of Cambridge. He then undertook his medical degree from the same institution, winning two prizes for distinctions in examinations and notably the John Fawcett Prize for communication skills in clinical medicine.

Following house jobs his initial career path took him into emergency medicine and he completed 30 months as an SHO rotating through appropriate specialties at Ipswich Hospital. He completed basic surgical training, passing MRCS, MRCP (part I) and MCEM (part B), and then started an ACCS post in Emergency Medicine at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King’s Lynn. It was during this post that he realised that his interests and skills lay in critical care and anaesthesia. He switched to a training post in Anaesthesia, and had just started this at the time of his death.

Andy was a highly skilled clinician who was extremely popular with both anaesthetic and surgical staff. He was able to combine a sharp academic mind with common sense, excellent clinical skills, a sense of humour and a gentleness that endeared him to both colleagues and patients. He was a fine teacher and immensely popular amongst students and junior doctors.

There is little doubt that he would have progressed to become a valued consultant and his death was a shocking loss to the profession.

We are grateful to *** for their support in funding the Andrew Fletcher Prize Competition.