A HALLIWELL GP who spent almost half a century looking after patients has died after a short illness.

Dr Bernard Hendy, 92, died on February 6, at Lavender Hills Nursing Home.

He graduated from the University of Manchester in 1948, followed by three years National Service in Southern Germany, which was in the process of reconstruction.

After returning home, he spent a short stint in practice in Wigan before joining the branch surgery, which was tacked on to his house in Church Road, Halliwell.

Dr Hendy campaigned in 1956 for The Clean Air Act.

He wrote a letter to The Bolton News to argue that its passage was necessary, to help improve the health of his patients, suffering from chest and lung conditions from both vehicle and chimney smoke.

In 1992, he was joined as a GP, by his son Charles, who has just completed 25 years in his own right.

According to Charles his father dedicated his life to both his patients and his family before he retired in 2000.

During that time, his mother Anne had worked as a nurse, his sister Elizabeth became a nurse and he qualified to work alongside his father as a doctor.

Dr Charles Hendy said: “Back in those early days my dad was almost always available and patients would turn up any time of day or night.

" I remember apart from working through the day he would do alternate nights and weekends.

"The only time he got a break was when we went on holiday.

“I remember that one day we were packing the car to head off on holiday to Woolacombe and a patient turned up and he carried out a consultation on our driveway.

"Essentially he was always on call.”

Charles, who picked up a lot of tips about how to be a good doctor said that his father's essential requisite was being a good listener.

He added: “I suppose what made him such a fantastic doctor was he understood his patients and had an in-depth knowledge, which enabled him to understand how a particular disease might affect them in the future.”

When he was not working Dr Hendy enjoyed gardening and also building his model train.

Dr Hendy’s wife Anne died in 2010, aged 75. He is survived by Charles, John, Elizabeth, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

A funeral service and committal will take place to take place tomorrow at St Peter’s Church, Halliwell, at 1.30pm followed by committal at Overdale (West Chapel), at 2.30pm.