My mother, Eileen Smith, who has died aged 84, was a consultant psychiatrist who used her talents to the full in caring for her patients and working for a better society.
Eileen was born in Dukinfield, Cheshire, the second of three daughters of Cyril Jackson, a carpenter, and his wife, Winnie (nee Quirke), a primary school teacher. Eileen’s father suffered unemployment during the depression, and war-time work repairing bomb damage worsened his health, leaving Winnie to support the family on two-thirds of a male salary. Eileen’s elder sister, Lesley, contracted polio and life was a constant struggle.
In 1952 family moved to Norwich for Cyril’s health, and he died there three years later, aged 49. The experience made them great supporters of the welfare state and all three daughters developed a commitment to caring and advocating for the less fortunate. Leslie became a teacher and Labour councillor and their younger sister, Margaret (later Beckett), eventually became Britain’s first female foreign secretary.
Eileen was educated at Notre Dame high school, Manchester, and Blyth school, Norwich. In 1954 she went to study medicine at the Royal Free hospital, London. At a Catholic students’ conference in 1955 she met Cyril Smith, a research fellow at Imperial College, London. They married in 1958 and settled in Manchester. Eileen passed her medical finals shortly after her second child was born, in 1961, and devoted herself to bringing up three boys.
In 1969 she started work as a house surgeon in ENT at Manchester Royal Infirmary, but later became a psychiatrist. Throughout the 1970s she worked at Manchester Royal Infirmary, Springfield hospital, Wythenshawe hospital, Royal Manchester children’s hospital, Bolton district general hospital, Hope hospital (now a part of Salford Royal) and Prestwich mental hospital. She also attended Strangeways prison, particularly working with young prisoners, and established Salford’s first community mental health centre, Prescott House, in 1986. She became a fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in 1988.
Eileen retired in 1993 but did part-time locum work until 1996 and then served on the Mental Health Review Tribunal from 1997.
She had joined the Labour party in 1963 but was more involved in retirement, becoming a ward treasurer in Salford and Eccles Labour party.
When in 2006 Eileen was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, she faced it with grace, calm and dignity. She made the most of what she could do, travelling and hiking for as long as possible. In 2017 she went into a care home, where Cyril visited her every day.
Eileen is survived by Cyril, her sons, Paul, Martin and me, her grandchildren, Oliver and Maddie, two step-grandchildren, Rachel and Helen, five step-great-grandchildren and by Lesley and Margaret.
