Tribute
Smith In a tribute
to the late Walter George Smith (see above), HELEN REMINGTON (president,
Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists) writes:
The Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists is saddened to
learn of the death of one of its most distinguished members. Walter Smith
was president of the guild from 1970 to 1971 and an Evans gold medallist
in 1978. He was an enthusiast for hospital pharmacy and through the guild
he strove to improve hospital pharmacy services and the status of hospital
pharmacists.
During his time on the guild council he held a number
of officer positions, one of which was registrar. With Walter’s dedication
and meticulous approach, he was always able to boast of the accuracy of
membership lists for which he was responsible.
He encouraged all hospital pharmacists to become
active in the guild and in the profession. Evidence of his success lies
in the fact that three of his former pharmacists went on to be GHP president
and five went on to be regional pharmaceutical advisers.
As an activist Walter contributed to many key debates
of his time and in particular the Noel Hall reorganisation of hospital
pharmacy services, regularly bending the ear of many of those involved
in the review or submitting evidence. This continued after implementation
of the Noel Hall report, where he maximised opportunities arising from
the report to local advantage. Much of this is in evidence in the pharmacy
at the Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham, today, which for pharmacy departments
in those days (and now!) was unusually large, well positioned, staffed
and equipped.
Such was his foresight that in the late 1960s he
was pushing for 24-hour hospital pharmacy services and in the early 1970s
established the first hospital pharmacy residency service, setting the
trend for many others that followed. Later in the 1970s he pushed for
satellite pharmacy departments in the Queens Medical Centre — always ahead
of his time. He did, however, have a traditional streak in him: preregistration
tutorials were held in his office on Friday afternoons with a large glass
of sherry for all.
When the Griffiths reforms were proposed in 1981,
and implemented over the next two years, there was uncertainty as to whether
his post of area pharmaceutical officer would be retained in the new district
health authority as a district pharmaceutical officer or just wither on
the vine given his impending retirement. Such was his dedication he chose
to stay at work for a further two years to demonstrate the need for his
post. He was successful in this, and in 1983 his post was advertised.
His legacy to pharmacy is long lasting and hospital
pharmacy has lost one of its champions. We wish his wife Bea, son David
and family well in their bereavement.
BOB TIMSON writes:
Walter Smith was responsible for the successful launch
of so many pharmacists’ NHS careers, including mine. He appointed me to
my first hospital job, at Nottingham General Hospital in 1970, and we
were to become colleagues around the Trent area pharmacists table from
1974 under the leadership then of Eric Fitchett, regional pharmacist and
Walter’s former boss at Leicester Royal Infirmary.
Walter’s wealth of experience and knowledge from
his involvement in national events was immediately apparent, and it was
largely his enthusiasm and encouragement which sparked my interest in
the guild, following in his footsteps in becoming a member of the guild
council, and subsequently president.
An abiding memory of Walter in those early days
was his sitting at his stately roll-top desk in his crisp white coat,
with sleeves rolled up to the elbows, looking out from his office across
the dispensary. From there, although he was able to hear all that was
going on, his view, apart from the immediate 15in or so above ground level,
was hidden by dispensary furniture. His claim to be able to recognise
all his female staff by their ankles became legendary. It was to this
same desk that his lunch was delivered on a tray with silver cutlery and
cloth napkin at precisely 12.30pm.
Colleagues will write about his achievements in
developing pharmacy services in Nottingham during the late 1960s to early
80s, to a level which many hospitals managed to reach only a decade or
so later. To me Walter was both a friend and mentor, someone who could
always find time to offer advice, guidance and support when asked — and
sometimes when he wasn’t but nevertheless felt it was needed.
Walter was well known for his stories and anecdotes,
which in my case were told on the many journeys we made together in my
car, to and from meetings. After his retirement his Christmas cards always
included a cryptic personalised message, and he followed the careers of
his former pupils closely, with some pride.
Hospital pharmacy owes Walter some considerable
gratitude for pushing forward the frontiers of the profession, in his
own inimitable way. He will be missed but remembered by so many of us.
JOHN GILBY writes:
It was with great sadness that I heard of the death
of “WG”. He was an enormously influential figure in hospital pharmacy
for many years, in Nottingham, the East Midlands and nationally. He persuaded
me to remain in hospital service in the early 1970s, when many pharmacists
were leaving for more lucrative positions, and encouraged me throughout
my career in Nottingham.
He was utterly professional and conscientious, with
a real vision for the future. Ward pharmacy, residency and drug information
were developed under his meticulous and encouraging eye — many years ahead
of most other centres. Walter relished the battle with administrators
and treasurers to ensure that pharmacy got its fair share of investment.
His terrier-like approach ensured that he often achieved more than a single
service should rightfully expect.
He was truly committed to the profession, and proud
that three of his former employees reached the position of president of
the guild, and that at least four became regional pharmacists.
His regular Christmas cards latterly had held a
note of regret that I had moved away from practical involvement in the
profession. I think he regarded that as a waste of his efforts to turn
me into a proper hospital pharmacist.
He will be missed.
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