Tributes have been paid to a doctor who helped to “shape” modern kidney care after he died from Covid-19.

Professor Donal O’Donoghue, who was registrar of the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), was made an OBE in 2018 for his services to kidney patients.

The medic, who was based at Salford Royal, died on January 3. He was 64.

RCP president Professor Andrew Goddard led the tributes, saying that Prof O’Donoghue was “the loveliest person and considered by many to be the ‘big daddy’ of British renal medicine”.

Prof O’Donoghue was highly respected in the kidney care community, serving previously as president of both the British Renal Society and the Renal Association and chair of the board of trustees at Kidney Care UK

He was appointed as the first national clinical director for kidney care at the Department of Health in 2007.

Prof Goddard said: “Words cannot express how sad this has made all of us at the RCP. Donal was the loveliest person and considered by many to be the ‘big daddy’ of British renal medicine. He was my friend, my wingman and my confidant. I will miss him terribly.

“All our thoughts and prayers go to Donal’s family at this time. We are also indebted to the team at Stepping Hill for all they did in their care for him.”

In a statement the Northern Care Alliance said that Prof O’Donoghue had “shaped modern nephrology”.

“Professor O’Donoghue has played such an important role in our research and innovation work, with the interest of patients at the centre of everything he did,” the statement said.

“As a well respected clinical and world-renowned researcher, he has without a doubt shaped modern nephrology and has driven medical advancement and research in kidney care.

“He was such a professional, kind and genuine man, who worked with and for his patients, championing their access to excellence in their kidney care and experience at the highest level.”