My mentor, colleague and friend Ian Russell, who has died aged 78, was one of the most eminent health services researchers of his generation, whose innovative clinical trial designs had global influence over a 60-year career.
A statistician by training, Ian improved the lives of patients by determining the effectiveness and costs of treatments, and helping health, public health, community and social services run more efficiently.
Ian was a pioneer in the 1980s and 90s of the pragmatic trial design, which evaluated the effectiveness of interventions in real-life practice conditions, and which he felt was more appropriate than the standard double-blind placebo-controlled trial. During this time he developed the now commonplace patient reported outcome measures (Proms) and incorporated them into trials.
He published more than 340 papers covering eight fields – public health, secondary care, primary care, clinical governance, balance of care between hospital and community, social care, health promotion and medical education.
Born in Exeter to Joseph Russell, an accounts clerk in a solicitor’s office, and Muriel (nee Durrant), Ian went to Exeter school. He studied mathematics at St John’s College, Cambridge (1963-66), followed by a master’s in mathematical statistics at Birmingham University. He became a fellow of the Royal Statistical Society in 1968, then began a PhD in health services research when he was a research assistant at Essex University (1968-70). His PhD was awarded in 1977. His first lecturing post was at Newcastle University (1970-86) during which he spent a year as a visiting associate professor at the University of North Carolina School of Public Health (1977-78).
Across his career Ian created many new departments and led several interdisciplinary initiatives that were ahead of their time. He was founding director of the Health Services Research Unit, Aberdeen University (1987-93) and of Research and Development, NHS Wales (1993-94); founding head of the department of health sciences, University of York (1994-2001), during which time he set up a clinical trials unit and the Hull York Medical School; founding professor of public health, University of Wales, Bangor (2002-08, now Bangor University), where he also set up a clinical trials unit; founding professor of clinical trials, Swansea University (2008-15), during which he led the Swansea Trials Unit; director of research, Swansea University medical school (2010-13), and senior research leader, Health & Care Research Wales (2013-16).
A keen cyclist and a season ticket holder of Newcastle United with his sons, he embraced life and the communities he lived in and worked with. He was a passionate walker, especially in Scotland, and was proud of his University of Aberdeen kilt, which he wore whenever formal dress was required. In Wales, he learned Welsh and became a lay preacher.
Ian met Daphne Bonner, a fellow statistician, through the Methodist Society at Cambridge University in 1965, and they married in 1969. Daphne collaborated with Ian throughout his career. The couple welcomed colleagues and students into their home with warm hospitality.
He is survived by Daphne, their two sons, Mark and Luke, and eight grandchildren.
