A star of the television show GPs Behind Closed Doors and partner at Farnham Road Surgery in Slough has been named as a Thames Hospice GP Champion.

Doctor Jim O'Donnell approached the hospice in Hatch Lane, Windsor last year with an amazing idea - creating a community of GPs to support its work.

Jim had been thinking about what happens when GPs like himself retire. He came up with an idea of creating a 'community' of retired or retiring GPs who would get together to form a 'circle of giving' helping out good causes.

He said: "For me, the whole point in being alive is to serve others and improve their lives.

“The ultimate charity is Thames Hospice because how well each of us dies is central to how well we live."

Jim actually stopped being a GP for several years when his career took him to Iraq, followed by a cardiology research post at Wexham Park Hospital in Slough.

After some years in the pharmaceutical industry researching novel treatments for heart disease, the pull of General Practice brought him back to working as a full-time GP at Farnham Road. When the Channel 5 reality show Behind Closed Doors showed up he became a familiar face on television screens.

Sarah Bissell, Director of Fundraising and Marketing at Thames Hospice, says: “We are absolutely delighted to have Jim as Thames Hospice’s Champion. Our work at the hospice depends upon strong relationships with our local GPs and we are delighted that Jim has championed this excellent new circle of giving so that local GPs can contribute to continued hospice care in our community.”