An Associate Medical Director of University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT) is delighted to have been awarded an OBE for services to the dental and medical professions and for supporting his local community.
Peter Dyer, who works across the Morecambe Bay area as Associate Medical Director and as delegate responsible officer overseeing the appraisal and revalidation of doctors at UHMBT, was named in the King's 2024 Birthday Honours’ list for his dedication to dentistry, medicine and voluntary work in Silverdale and Lancaster.
Prince William presented Peter with the OBE at a special ceremony at Windsor Castle in London on Wednesday 16 October.
On receiving his OBE, Peter said: “It all came as a surprise, but it was a pleasant surprise!
“We were treated really well at Windsor Castle. My wife Vicky and our two children, Katherine and Richard, came along with me and it was very personal. Everybody we met guided us through the different state rooms, pointing out the important features such as paintings and tapestries.
“Prince William and I had a nice discussion, and he pinned the medal on my suit jacket. We chatted about dentistry which is not surprising because that’s one of the things I was nominated for. We talked about access to dentistry. I was impressed by how well informed he was, and it all went rather quickly.
“My family stood behind me and there was only one other family in at the time. There was a little orchestra playing in the background. My kids were pleased because they were playing some Coldplay when I went through, so that was nice. Afterwards, we went out in Windsor for a meal, and it was a lovely day. I’d never been to Windsor before and the thing that struck us most was how personal the palace staff had made it for us.”
Peter first moved to the Lancaster area at the age of 11 and went to Lancaster Royal Grammar School. He did his dental and medical degrees in London, and worked as a trainee in Birmingham and Bristol, before finishing his training in London and moving back to his home community of Morecambe Bay in 1998 as a consultant. At Morecambe Bay he led the Maxillofacial Team which still has bases at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary, Westmorland General Hospital in Kendal and Furness General Hospital in Barrow.
Peter, who is also a part time Clinical Senior Lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston in the School of Dentistry, retired as a consultant seven years ago. His wife Vicky worked at UHMBT as a consultant dentist in restorative dentistry and is also retired now.
He said: “I feel very lucky to have worked with so many caring and dedicated colleagues over the years and I feel extremely fortunate to have worked in such a lovely place as Morecambe Bay. It has been wonderful to be part of the dental and medical community in this area. I have always felt it was a privilege to work in Barrow, Kendal and Lancaster.
“At UCLan it is nice being among young trainee dentists. I feel it is giving something back to the area.”
Peter’s OBE was also for the work he has done as a licensed lay minister with the church in Silverdale. He works alongside the vicar ensuring that services run smoothly and that there is pastoral care for the congregation.
He is a volunteer with the Grand Theatre in Lancaster where he works on front-of-house and at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary, where he is secretary of the Lancaster Health and Medical Museum Collection.
He said: “We have a collection of old medical instruments which have been acquired over many years, so we’re hoping one day to have a museum to display the items.”
Peter is also a co-editor of The Handbook of Immediate Care and has published chapters on facial trauma in eight textbooks.
Peter added: “One of the highlights of my career has been helping to develop the oral and maxillofacial services in the area.
“I always feel very privileged to have worked with my colleagues in the department in the hospital and also with local dentists; they are such dedicated people. In 2017 I was president of the British Dental Association (BDA) and that was again a great honour.
“My personal view is that we need to aspire to a strong NHS dentistry. There are challenges facing the profession, but I am confident that, given the right resources, we can get to a point where everyone has access.
“At all of the hospitals I’ve worked at, everybody has always put the patients first and that for me has been really important.”