A pioneer of keyhole surgery who has shared his knowledge with clinicians across the globe has retired after spending more than 25 years at the forefront of medicine.
Professor Roger Motson left his position as director of Colchester University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust’s ICENI Centre for Laparoscopic Surgery – a role he had held since 2005 – at the end of March.
Prof Motson was a pioneer of laparoscopic surgery in the UK and ran one of the first training courses for removing the gallbladder with non-invasive techniques in 1992.
He has since helped train hundreds of consultant surgeons and surgical trainees who have attended courses at the ICENI Centre, and has also delivered around 500 lectures around the world.
Prof Motson retired from his surgical work at the hospital around three years ago to focus on further developing the courses at the ICENI Centre, and will continue to deliver occasional training during his retirement.
“I loved working as a surgeon as it was incredibly rewarding, but have also really enjoyed teaching as well,” said Prof Motson. “I stopped operating around three years ago so that I could devote more time to developing ICENI into a centre which was well-known for delivering excellent courses, and am proud of the progress we have made and the strong foundations we have laid down.
“My proudest achievement during my career has been establishing laparoscopic surgery at Colchester and embracing the fantastic opportunities it brought for improving patient care. At the time, many thought the technique would come and go, but over the years it has become the norm and now patients presume their treatment will be carried out using keyhole surgery rather than more invasive techniques. I am honoured to have been part of that change.”
Prof Motson joined Colchester Hospital in 1984 and is a past president of the Association of Laparoscopic Surgeons of Great Britain, the Royal Society of Medicine Section of Coloproctology, the Colchester Medical Society and the International Society of Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgeons.
He was recently made an honorary member of the Association of Laparoscopic Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland and was made a professor of surgery at Anglia Ruskin University in 2001 in recognition of his achievements.
During his retirement, Prof Motson plans to sail to the Mediterranean.
He will also continue to lecture and will teach in China and Pakistan later this year.
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