Tom Oppé

Thomas Ernest Oppé CBE (7 February 1925 – 25 June 2007) was an English paediatrician and a professor of paediatrics at St Mary's Hospital, London. He is regarded as a pioneer in children's health services and infant nutrition.

Early life Oppé was born in 1925 in Hampstead to Ernest Frederick, a banker, and Ethel Nellie (née Rackstraw). His paternal uncle was the historian and art collector Paul Oppé.

Career Oppé had decided to pursue paediatrics as a medical student. He completed a year as house physician at Guy's Hospital, although this was interrupted when he was hospitalised for nine months with tuberculosis. He had a special interest in Williams syndrome after working with a Navy colleague whose child had the genetic condition.

Oppé was an adviser to the government on many aspects of child health and nutrition, and was a key member of the committee that published the 1976 report "Fit for the Future", which outlined a plan for the provision of child health services. He was made a CBE in 1984 for his services to paediatrics.

Personal life Oppé met his wife Margaret while he was working at Guy's Hospital, where she was a nurse. Together they had four children and fostered a daughter. He retired in 1990 and died on 25 June 2007, in Kingston upon Thames.