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My friend and colleague Tony Roth, who has died aged 70 from a brain tumour, was an academic in the field of clinical psychology.

Tony’s interest in what makes an effective therapist led to projects commissioned by the Department of Health & NHS England that resulted in the creation of new frameworks to summarise the skills and knowledge required to practise competently. These have helped to improve training, services commissioning and policy development across a range of therapies, as well as in other mental health areas such as self-harm prevention and children’s inpatient services.

In addition, Tony’s book, What Works for Whom? (1996), written with Peter Fonagy, is a standard text and has no obvious rival as a succinct summary of a huge range of research.

Tony was born in Isleworth, west London, to Rose (nee Lerner) and Simon Roth, who together owned and ran a garage. He went to Isleworth grammar school before studying psychology at the University of Sheffield, where he gained a first class degree in 1975 followed by a PhD.

In 1978 he moved to London to train as a clinical psychologist within NHS England’s south east region and afterwards worked for 10 years in its north west Thames region, latterly in Camden and Islington. Eventually he became involved in training clinical psychologists at University College London, rising to be joint course director of the doctoral programme there and becoming a professor in 2008.

He was also an honorary consultant clinical psychologist at Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust. He continued working, in one way or another, until a few weeks before his death.

Tony had the ability to take in complex topics while being able to retain a grasp of the big picture. His appetite for work was impressive, but he was so much more than a dry academic, with a wit and zany sense of humour that could break out at any moment. He worked out at the gym twice a week, went scuba diving and looked cool on his motorbike in full leathers.

He adored travelling and had a gift for friendship that enriched the lives of many. He is survived by his twin brother, Clive, and his older sisters Barbara and Liz. 

Story by Glenys Parry: THe Guardin