Louis Smidt, who has died aged 70 from prostate cancer, was a leading podiatrist who made an unusual but successful transition to NHS management, where he specialised in care for some of the most vulnerable and marginalised people. He helped establish a groundbreaking HIV/Aids service and went on to play a pivotal role in the redevelopment of Broadmoor high-security hospital. Work on the £242m scheme to rebuild the Victorian institution in Berkshire began a few weeks before his death.
As chair of the mental health trust responsible for Broadmoor, Smidt also oversaw the transfer of all women patients to a separate, modern facility in west London. It was typical of his humanity that he regarded this as a priority issue and non-negotiable in his dealings with ministers.