Janet Askham, a distinguished medical sociologist whose research influenced government policy for the treatment of the elderly, has died aged 66.

Since 2004, Prof Askham was the research director at the Oxford-based Picker Institute, where she oversaw a wide range of work looking at patient-centred healthcare.

Studies included examining patients' information needs, the management of residents' pain in care homes, and women's experience in relation to the safety of maternity services.

And at the time of her death she was working on a set of measures looking at the extent to which elderly people's dignity is respected in the health service.

Prof Askham was born in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire, the daughter of an Anglican vicar. In 1963 she graduated in sociology from the London School of Economics.

She then worked for Research Services, run by the social scientist Mark Abrams, for three years.

She gained a master's degree at Essex University in 1967 and joined the Medical Research Council's social science research unit at Aberdeen University.

Prof Askham remained there until its closure in 1983, when she took up a post at King's College - working there up until her death on July 7.

Angela Coulter, chief executive of the Picker Institute, said: "We were shocked and deeply saddened by her death. Janet was a lively, stimulating and immensely supportive colleague and is very sorely missed."

She is survived by her husband Byron, a daughter and a stepson.