Medical MATTERS

Retired neurosurgeon HENRY MARSH looks back on his 40-year career

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Pioneering British neurosurgeon Henry Marsh took an unusual path into medicine. Having dropped out of a politics, philosophy and economics degree at the University of Oxford after experiencing depression, he worked as a hospital porter and became fascinated observing surgeons at work and was inspired to follow in their footsteps.

First returning to Oxford to complete his course, Henry went on to study medicine at London's Royal Free Medical School and later specialised in neurology when his son was successfully treated for a brain tumour at three months old.

Henry retired from the NHS in 2015 and is now 75, and looks back on his career in a new BBC2 documentary, Confessions of a Brain Surgeon.

In an exclusive interview, he tells TV Times why he wants to share his story...

Why was it important to make this documentary?