A LOCAL GP has died from coronavirus at Dorset County Hospital

Dr Craig Wakeham, aged 59, was a doctor at the Cerne Abbas Surgery and a member of the Clinical Commissioning Group.

A statement on the surgery's website says: "We are very saddened to inform our patients that Dr Wakeham died at the weekend. He had been fighting the coronavirus in DCH for many days.

"His industry and innovation led our practice for 30 years. He was also a leading light in both the Clinical Commissioning Group and Local Medical Committee, 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."

Dr Wakeham was Chief Clinical Information Officer at NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

The chairman of the NHS Dorset CCG, Dr Forbes Watson, has also paid tribute.

He said: “We are all deeply saddened to have lost a valued and committed colleague and friend.

"Craig was a champion for rural general practice and a pioneer for integrated nursing teams, having lived and worked as a much-loved GP in Cerne Abbas for many years.

"Craig was passionate about working with local people to improve services for them and was well known for his frequent challenges to us all on their behalf.

"He was highly respected and liked by everyone that knew him.  He has held a number of key clinical leadership roles across Dorset over many years, most recently supporting the CCG since it formed in 2013.

"He has also been instrumental in the advance of digital clinical information across Dorset which has been extremely useful at the present time.

"On behalf of the CCG and his many general practice colleagues, I would like to extend our sincere condolences to Craig’s family.  Our thoughts are with them, his friends and colleagues at this extremely difficult time.”

Patricia Miller CEO of Dorset County Hospital paid tribute.

She said on Twitter: "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."