Tributes paid to caring GP Dr Peter Slater

Tributes have been paid to a caring doctor who treated patients in the city over many years.

Peter Slater died on Sunday aged 89 after a short illness.

He will be remembered for decades of working as a GP and for his charity work.

Dr Slater did his medical training at St Andrew’s University in Scotland before coming to Wakefield to practise as a GP in 1956.

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Dr Slater, who was living at the Sycamores care home in Wakefield before his death, worked at Southgate and New Southgate Surgeries as senior partner up until his retirement in 1989.

A keen bridge player, Dr Slater was also involved with organisations including Wakefield Rotary Club.

Dr Slater and his wife Fran were both honoured with the Rotary’s prestigious Paul Harris Fellowship for their work volunteering at Pinderfields Hospital helping patients in wheelchairs attend the hospital chapel.

Mrs Slater, 84, said: “He was very fond of people and a very social person.

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“He liked to talk to people about their problems and try and solve them.”

Dr Slater was also a long-standing member of Wakefield Civic Society after helping to set up the organisation in 1964.

He was on the civic society committee for almost 50 years, and went on to be honoured with a lifetime membership award for services to the organisation in 2005.

Dr Keith Souter, who worked with Dr Slater for around 10 years, said: “He was very wise and a very compassionate and caring doctor.

“He taught me a lot of medicine.

“He was also very active in the community.”

Dr Slater is survived by Mrs Slater, his three children and two grandchildren.

A funeral will be held at Wakefield Crematorium, on Standbridge Lane, Crigglestone, on Monday, January 19 from 11am.