University honour for Elephant and Castle GP

The Chancellor of the university, Sir Trevor McDonald OBE, was in Southwark Cathedral last week to confer honorary degrees and fellowships.

Dr Curson's honorary fellowship was awarded "for his services and leadership in health education, for his passionate advocacy of professional training, and for his devotion to the provision of health for patients in our community".

Reading the citation, vice-chancellor Professor Deian Hopkin drew together the various strands of Dr Curson's 35-year career as a general practitioner, educational innovator, trainer and 'media doctor' familiar to thousands via phone-ins on LBC radio and columns in magazines.

The university recently gained planning permission for a new building on Borough Road which is due to become the new home of the Princess Street Group Practice.

In addition, the award-winning practice has entered into a memorandum of understanding for developing teaching and training jointly with the university's faculty of health.

This year's other graduands were Sandra Horley OBE, chief executive of domestic violence charity Refuge; producer and composer Nitin Sawhney; Sir Graeme Davies, vice chancellor of the University of London; painter Cliff Holden, founder of the Borough Group of artists established at the then Borough Polytechnic and Dame Ruth Silver, principal of Lewisham College.