Nan Waddy

Nanette Stacy Waddy AC MBE (4 May 1915 – 20 June 2015) was an Australian psychiatrist, who spoke out against the mistreatment of mental patients at Gladesville and Callan Park Mental Hospitals in the 1950s. Later she provided input to the development of Australian government policy in the field of drug and alcohol abuse.

Early life and education

Waddy was born on 4 May 1915 in Godalming, eldest daughter of Dr Granville and Dorothy (née Hensley) Waddy. She completed her secondary education at Ascham and her first year of medicine at the University of Sydney, then in 1936 studied nursing at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. She returned to university and graduated in 1941 with an MB BS and winning the Norton Manning Prize in psychiatry.[1]

Career

On graduation, her first job was resident medical officer at Tamworth Base Hospital in 1941. In 1942 she enlisted in the Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force (WAAAF) as a medical officer, being discharged in 1948 with the rank of squadron leader.[2]

In 1953, she began work in the tuberculosis ward at Callan Park Mental Hospital, but resigned the following year over the mistreatment of patients. She submitted a Statutory Declaration to the Minister for Health and called for an independent investigation into procedures which she believed were to the detriment of patients' health.[3]

In the mid-1970s, Waddy was a member, spokesman and later president of the NSW Doctors Reform Society and spoke out against the introduction of Medicare.[4][5]

From 1982 to 1987, Waddy was president of the Australian Foundation on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence.[6] In that role she contributed to the government policy relating in particular to Australia's response to drugs.[1]

Awards and recognition

In 1977, Waddy was elected Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (FRANZCP).[1] She was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1978 New Years honours for service to medicine.[7] She was made a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in the 1988 Queen's Birthday honours for "service to medical education and to the community particularly in the field of drug and alcohol abuse".[8] In 1988 she was also awarded an MD (Honoris Causa) by the University of Sydney.[9]

Personal

In 1948, Waddy married Dr Russell Godby (5 September 1912 – 27 May 1969), a specialist in the treatment of tuberculosis.[10] Waddy died on 20 June 2015. She was survived by her son, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.[1]

References
  1. "Psychiatrist Nan Waddy fought for humane treatment of mentally ill". The Sydney Morning Herald. 30 October 2015. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  2. "This Week in Town". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 34, 186. New South Wales, Australia. 17 July 1947. p. 14. Retrieved 5 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. "Mental Home Charges Made in Five Declarations". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 36, 482. New South Wales, Australia. 24 November 1954. p. 15. Retrieved 5 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. "AMA to request abandonment of 'free' scheme". The Canberra Times. Vol. 48, no. 13, 805. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 11 July 1974. p. 26. Retrieved 5 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. "Health Insurance". The Canberra Times. Vol. 50, no. 14, 434. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 19 July 1976. p. 6. Retrieved 5 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. "Catalyst for a difficult problem". The Canberra Times. Vol. 57, no. 17, 303. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 12 February 1983. p. 2. Retrieved 5 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. "WADDY, Nannette Stacey". honours.pmc.gov.au. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  8. "WADDY, Nanette Stacy". honours.pmc.gov.au. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  9. Webster, Ian W; Wodak, Alex D; Carvolth, Russell (19 October 2015), "Nanette Stacy Waddy, AC, MBE, MB BS, MD(Honoris Causa), FRANZCP.(Obituary)", The Medical Journal of Australia, Australasian Medical Publishing Company Limited, 203 (8): 342(1), doi:10.5694/mja15.00874, ISSN 0025-729X, PMID 26465703, S2CID 38104115
  10. "Ex-Service Doctors to Marry". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 34, 631. New South Wales, Australia. 18 December 1948. p. 6. Retrieved 19 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
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