Date of birth: 19/02/1946

Date of death: 27/06/2013

Geoffrey Hanks was a British palliative care specialist, born in India. He was professor of palliative care at the University of Bristol and a pioneer in the specialty.

He became the first consultant in palliative medicine in the UK at the [Royal Marsden Hospital]@royal-marsden) in 1983, where his research on modified-release morphine revolutionized cancer pain management. Later, he established a new department in Bristol, developing a comprehensive research and teaching program. He retired from his role in Bristol in 2006, but continued as emeritus professor and as a professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim, Norway.

He was editor-in-chief of the journal Palliative Medicine from 2002 to 2012, founding editor of the European Journal of Palliative Care, and senior editor of the Oxford Textbook of Palliative Medicine, the first textbook of its kind.

Hanks was one of the founding members of the European Association for Palliative care (EAPC) where he was vice president (1989-1995), president (1995-1999) and then honorary president.