Gardening and pipe beckon for retiring GP

Dr Eamon O’Daley, a senior GP at Windsor Medical Centre off Leeds Road, is hanging up his stethoscope for the last time.

The GP came to Dewsbury in 1967 after working at Chesterfield Royal Hospital for two years, and five years in the army, seeing action in Malaya and South America.

He worked in Eastborough and his own practise in Savile Town before splitting his time between Savile Town and Windsor Medical Centre from 1988.

He said: “I trained in Dublin. My father was a doctor and it was automatically assumed I would be one too, even though at the time I rather fancied being a market gardener.

“In those days children did as their parents told them.

“I am quite happy – I have always enjoyed my work because I have had very nice people to work with, by and large. In my experience, in my work, unpleasant people are very few and far between.

“Dewsbury has a remarkable, very compliant population and we couldn’t have better people.

“That makes general practise very enjoyable.

Dr O’Daley said he had seen many changes in the NHS over the years and local services had suffered with the loss of hospitals in Batley, Mirfield, Staincliffe,Moorlands and North Bierley.

But he said: “I have been quite happy, but I think 50 years working for the NHS is probably enough!”

He added: “I will be continuing with my gardening, with Mirfield Rotary Club and my daily crossword; smoking my pipe and enjoying seeing everyone rushing down the road when I don’t have to!