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Wilfrid Treasure died at the age of 58 while on leave from his post as the sole doctor on the island of Whalsay in Shetland. In his two years on Whalsay he had established regular video conferences to connect geographically isolated GPs both with each other and with the district hospital in Lerwick. He also wrote a series of monthly articles for the British Journal of General Practice. Pithy and inspiring, this series explored how doctors might best respond to the needs of their patients.
His decision in 2011 to leave the Muirhouse Medical Group where he had enjoyed being a member of a committed and successful team, was not the first unexpected turn in his career. In fact, medicine had not been Treasure's first choice. As an all rounder at school, he faced difficult decisions. When it came to applying to university he was already an accomplished musician and played with the National Youth Orchestra. He was reluctant to have music relegated to the status of a hobby, and to see his practical skills decline. And he certainly didn't want to take on medicine as a "day job" while his true enthusiasm lay elsewhere. Against more worldly advice, therefore, he chose music and was accepted at Clare College, Cambridge. Here he sang in the chapel choir, played in various ensembles, and was in demand as an accompanist. Developing his interest in renaissance music, he joined the Cambridge University...