BGS statement on the death of Dr Anton Sebastianpillai

The BGS learned with great sadness of the recent death of Dr Anton Sebastianpillai from complications of coronavirus.

Dr Sebastianpillai was an experienced geriatrician who had had a long association with Kingston Hospital in south west London as a consultant. A spokeswoman for Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said: “It is with great sadness that I confirm the death of a consultant geriatrician who was part of the team at Kingston Hospital.” Dr Sebastianpillai completed his last shift on 20 March and was cared for at Kingston Hospital’s intensive care unit until his death.

Dr Sebastianpillai did his medical training at Peradeniya Medical School in Sri Lanka and qualified in 1967. In an obituary notice, he was referred to as a “distinguished alumnus” who had authored an illustrated history of Sri Lanka.

President of the British Geriatrics Society, Professor Tash Masud, said:

The loss of a doctor who spent his professional life caring for older people is heartbreaking news. Dr Sebastianpillai had worked for more than forty years in geriatric medicine and was a devoted and respected geriatrician. On behalf of the British Geriatrics Society, I send sincere condolences to Dr Sebastianpillai’s wife and son."