Marianne Rigge obituary

"My wife, Marianne Rigge, who has died aged 77, was a passionate public advocate for the interests of NHS patients, and a pioneer in creating ways of giving people easier access to medical and health information. The daughter of a GP, she founded a national charity, the College of Health, with the renowned social entrepreneur Michael Young, in response to their experiences as patients and in the consumer movement."

"She ran the charity as director, from Bethnal Green, east London, for 20 years and it helped thousands of people. It operated a telephone service with recorded medical information about a range of diseases and conditions, which was considered technologically innovative for its time. Long before hospital treatment waiting times became a way of judging how well the NHS is performing, the College of Health published waiting lists as a service for patients."

"At the time, GPs could refer patients to any consultant around the country, if they were prepared to travel to get treatment sooner. Marianne unearthed the lists from the House of Commons library, to publish the annual Guide to Hospital Waiting Lists, which first appeared in 1984. She gave talks to doctors and to medical institutions, telling them of the actual experiences and views of patients backed by case studies whom they often saw only briefly on ward rounds."

Marianne Rigge died aged 77 and was a dedicated public advocate for NHS patients and for improving access to medical information. The daughter of a GP, she co-founded the College of Health with Michael Young in 1983 to place patients' needs at the centre of NHS care. She directed the charity from Bethnal Green for 20 years, helping thousands through services including a recorded telephone medical information line. The College published hospital waiting lists from 1984 to help patients obtain quicker treatment. Marianne gave talks to medical professionals and used case studies to communicate patient experiences.

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