Tributes have been paid to a “caring, gentle, loving” NHS clerical officer following his death from Covid-19.

The family of David Trower, 67, from Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, said his death on March 9 has “left a void that nothing can fill”.

Mr Trower began working in NHS Lanarkshire’s medical directorate in 1995 as a clerical officer in the A&E department at University Hospital Monklands, remaining in post until his retirement in 2016.

Despite having retired, he continued to work for the NHS as bank staff.

Colleagues who worked with Mr Trower at Monklands said: “David will be sadly missed by all his friends and colleagues in the emergency department.

“He was a kind and lovely man and everyone thought very highly of him. We have many happy memories of shifts together, laughs, nights out, and listening to all his stories of his many holidays abroad. We will miss him.”

NHS Lanarkshire chief executive Heather Knox added: “On behalf of everyone here, I would like to offer my most sincere condolences to David’s family.

“David was a valued member of staff, a well-respected colleague, both on a personal and professional level, and a dedicated employee of NHS Lanarkshire.

“Given his many years of NHS service, it goes without saying that David devoted his life to providing services to the people of Lanarkshire.”

Mr Trower is the second NHS Lanarkshire colleague to die from Covid-19, following the death of Kirsty Jones in April 2020.

His sister Bernadette White said: “David is a special brother. I say ‘is’ and not ‘was’ because he will always be the best.

“David’s loves were simple – his home, his holidays, his work, and he was very close to my family.

“He had a wicked sense of humour. I remember I was working and I got a message from him while he was on holiday in Bali and it said ‘please come and get me’.

“I was worried sick and asked him what was wrong and his reply was that it hadn’t stopped raining since he’d arrived – and he did like the sun.

“The last seven years, I would say, is when David started to live his life, doing the things that made him happy without having to worry about anyone else.

“He was a caring, gentle, loving man, who has left a void that nothing can fill, and myself, my husband Robert and our family have lost a true gentleman.”