Tributes paid to Northampton infertility expert who transformed the lives of thousands of people'

He was joined in his tributes by a hospital, a clinic and several women who the consultant had helped become mothers, or whose lives he had saved.

Speaking on behalf of his family his brother, Alistair, said: “We’re grateful for the messages received from Roy’s colleagues and patients celebrating this remarkable and deeply humane man.

“Over a long career, his great skills as a surgeon and infertility specialist transformed the lives of thousands of patients.”

William ‘Roy’ Davies, aged 66, from Great Billing, was a father of four and, while shy of the limelight, also the man to see for Northants couples having trouble conceiving.

He became a consultant at NGH in 1985 and immediately set up the Infertility Clinic, followed by Northants Fertility Service nearby in 1989. Just 10 years later, the unit had seen well over a thousand babies born.

On December 15, 2015, Mr Davies was found unconscious at his home after an apparent suicide attempt. He was taken to NGH and passed away days later.

However an inquest yesterday returned an open verdict as coroner Anne Pember could not be certain he had taken his own life, nor that he died accidentally.

Theresa Wright, whose life Mr Davies saved with surgery, along with her baby, Callum - said: “Not a day will pass where I don’t thank him, not only for my children’s lives but my own too.”

Debbie Pocklington’s son, Ben, was conceived with Mr Davies’ expertise. Eighteen years later he returned to the clinic following lymphoma that had made him infertile, to see about using his own father’s sperm to allow him to have a child.

Mrs Pocklington said: “If all goes to plan, not only my children but grandchildren will be due to Mr Davies’ greatness, kindness and knowledge.”

Roy Davies saw NHS patients at Northampton General but also used his expertise as a sessional consultant across the road at the CARE Fertility clinic.

Aside from his clinical work, he had been an expert witness in infertility since 1990.

Judith Byrne of CARE Northampton, said: “Roy was always very positive with his couples, giving them hope and aiding them to fulfil their wish of starting a family.

“A memory I have of Roy that remains close to my heart is hearing him say to every couple following consultation or embryo transfer, ‘see you in my antenatal clinic’.”

NGH also paid fulsome tribute to a man who always shunned exposure, despite his brilliance.

Chairman Paul Farenden said: “Roy will be remembered for his warm and compassionate care by the many parents in Northamptonshire who will be forever indebted to him for making a precious pregnancy possible.”

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