It was with sadness that NAWP members learned of the untimely death of Professor Joy Wingfield from Covid-19.
Joy was a member of NAWP until her retirement a few years ago and many members have memories of her Law and Ethics update sessions at weekend conferences where ‘we always found Joy a breath of fresh air and liked her ability to make the law interesting and not the dry subject we had encountered at college.’ Joy spoke at the NAWP Conference in Nottingham in 2001 on ‘Patient or Consumer, What’s the Difference?’ It was a ‘thought-provoking presentation’ in which she explored how the pharmacist’s duty of care is affected by developments in pharmacy practice. At that time Joy was Boots’ Special Professor of Law and Ethics at Nottingham School of Pharmacy.
A NAWP member remembers her first encounter with Joy back in the 1970s, when Joy was an RSPGB Inspector. She recalls, ‘I instantly thought that my short-lived career was at an end as she was going to find an error in a sample of dispensing, an incorrect entry in the CD Register or a mistake in the Prescription Book. At this time, we were making up local nostrums, making cachets and powders so there was a lot for a 23-year-old to get wrong. However, Joy was very calming and put me at ease very quickly. She made a thorough inspection of the work, the dispensary and shop and declared there were no problems to be found and wished me well. I always felt she was supportive and fair’.
Another NAWP member who worked for Boots when Joy was Deputy Pharmacy Superintendent in the mid-90s said, ‘I remember and hold dear how Joy was always so knowledgeable and approachable whenever I or any other staff members asked for advice on the finer points of Pharmacy Law.’ She describes her as ‘always very supportive of the employee pharmacist.’
Joy is also remembered as being ‘passionate about career progression paths, recognising the multiple loops and side roads women often take.’
May you rest in peace, Joy.
Learn more about NAWP here.