Dr Craig Wakeham, from Dorset, has become the latest GP to die with coronavirus (Covid-19).
Dr Wakeham, who was chief clinical information officer at NHS Dorset CCG, had led the rural village GP practice Cerne Abbas Surgery for 30 years.
The 59-year-old GP died in Dorset County Hospital on Saturday 18 April, after testing positive for Covid-19.
In a statement, his colleagues Dr Jeremy Dobbs and Dr Jenny Bubb said: ‘We are very saddened to inform our patients that Dr Wakeham died at the weekend. He had been fighting the coronavirus in Dorset County Hospital for many days.
‘His industry and innovation led our practice for 30 years. He was also a leading light in both the CCG and LMC, as well as a devoted husband and father to his two boys.
‘His legacy lives on in our patients who he cared for diligently, and in the good name he built for our surgery.’
NHS Dorset CCG chair Dr Forbes Watson said: ‘We are all deeply saddened to have lost a valued and committed colleague and friend.
So very sad to hear of the passing of Dr Craig Wakeham. Craig was a fantastic GP, always professional, kind and dedicated. Dorset will be poorer without him. My thoughts are with his colleagues, friends and loved ones @DCHFT @DorsetCCG
— #hellomynameis Patricia Miller OBE (@P_MillerNHS) April 20, 2020
We are mourning the loss of an exceptional Dorset colleague Dr Craig Wakeham who has died of Covid-19 – he was a wonderful family doctor of 30 years , passionate about integrated health and improving health of our population through PHM and CCIO in Dorset -a huge loss R.I.P. pic.twitter.com/5POooXmuiV
— Karen Kirkham (@karen_kirkham2) April 21, 2020
The other five GPs to have died with the virus are East London GP Dr Yusuf Patel, who died on Monday of this week in Queen’s Hospital, Romford; Dr Krishan Arora, a GP partner in Croydon; and Dr Fayaz Ayache, Dr Zishan Haider and Dr Habib Zaidi, all based in Essex.