University Of Bradford

Man who led medical response to Bradford City fire rewarded

A distinguished professor who led the surgical response to the Bradford City fire disaster has received an honorary degree.

Professor David Sharpe OBE, director of the district’s plastic surgery and burns unit, said he felt honoured and humbled to be given a Doctorate of Science by the University of Bradford.

It was presented to him in the university’s Great Hall yesterday and was awarded for his work as an honorary professor at the University of Bradford as well as for developing the next generation of plastic surgeons regionally and nationally.

Lawrence Neil Tomlinson, an alumnus of the university, was also honoured, as a Doctor of Engineering for improving the lives of the elderly and his commitment to engineering, ecoversity and equality.

After the ceremony, Prof Sharpe said: “I feel very honoured, very proud and very grateful.”

He had been in post as a consultant for Bradford, Huddersfield and Halifax for only three and a half months before he found himself in a leading role treating 258 burns victims in the aftermath of the Bradford City fire disaster in 1985.

Plastic surgeons from around the UK were drafted in, and on the Monday after the fire Prof Sharpe and his team began treating the wounded. They operated on about 25 people that first day. Eighty patients needed skin grafts that week.

Asked how he coped with the workload, Prof Sharpe said: “We worked as a team and got through, in four theatres, about 20 cases a day. It was difficult and it got stressful.”

He said the burns unit had developed its expertise considerably since then.

“We have come along a great deal since the time of the fire,” he said. “How we deal with burn injuries today is very similar.

“It’s the understanding of the healing process where strides have been made. This knowledge enables healing to be better and faster.”

The future of the unit, which is based at the university and receives no public funding, is secure for the next five to ten years after an appeal, orchestrated by Bradford City Football Club and backed by the Telegraph & Argus to mark the 25th anniversary of the disaster, raised £167,775.37.

Bradford University honours two contributors to city life (From ...

Two men who have worked to empower people in the district have received honorary degrees from the University of Bradford.

At a ceremony at the University’s Great Hall yesterday, Trevor Higgins became a Doctor of the University and Zulfi Hussain became a Doctor of Education.

Mr Higgins is chairman of the Bradford Employment and Skills Board. He was bestowed the honour for his contribution to the city and the wider region through voluntary work especially within the learning and employer networks.

Bradford businessman Mr Hussain was recognised for his work in coaching, mentoring, diversity and promoting social inclusion. He founded the company Global Based Synergy Solutions and not-for-profit charity Global Promise.

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