Professor Donal O’Donoghue was the RCP’s registrar until his death from COVID-19 on 3 January 2021. Dr Peter Belfield was appointed as interim registrar prior to the appointment of Dr Cathryn Edwards, who took up the post in May 2021.
Donal qualified in physiology and medicine from Manchester and trained in internal medicine and nephrology in the east Midlands, north-west, Paris (as a Medical Research Council travelling fellow) and in Edinburgh.
In Manchester, he led the reorganisation of renal services and established the first managed clinical network in England. Donal was inaugural president of the multi-professional British Renal Society. Between 2006 and 2013 he led the implementation of the Renal National Service Framework as national director of kidney care at the Department of Health. Donal was president of the Renal Association from 2016 until 2018 and was awarded an OBE for services to kidney patients in 2018.
Donal was passionate about professionalism in medicine, innovation and quality improvement in health and care. At the RCP Donal’s responsibilities included clinical and professional affairs and he took a lead role in matters relating to membership, governance, regional activity, global programmes and relationships with the NHS.
In addition to clinical duties in Salford, Donal remained active in training and research. He chaired the Greater Manchester, Lancashire and South Cumbria Senate and was medical director of Health Innovation Manchester. He was chair of the patient support charity Kidney Care UK.
Deputy registrars
The Registrar is supported by two deputy registrars who work to engage with RCP members across our regional networks. You can find their details here.