Dr JOHN Hughes, described as a "man ahead of his times", has died at the age of 82.

Glowing tributes were paid to Dr Hughes, who was the retired physician superintendent of St Cadoc's Hospital, Caerleon, and chairman of the executive committee of the National Eisteddfod of Wales, Newport and District, in 1988 and 2004.

His achievements were considerable but he remained a modest man. Dr Hughes was consultant psychiatrist at St Cadoc's from the 1960s and became the first general manager of Mental Health Services in Gwent in 1986.

A spokesman for Gwent Healthcare Trust said he oversaw many key developments such as the Springfield Unit at St Woolos and Glen Usk facility at St Cadoc's.

Under his leadership, St Cadoc's was the first mental health unit to "open its doors" for patients, that is, to end the principle of locked doors. He pioneered psycho-geriatric services in Gwent and, single-handedly after he retired in 1988, established and ran the Newport Drug Service.

Dr Hughes was chairman of the Welsh division of the Royal College and Psychiatrists, a knight of St John, a colonel in the TA and an honorary surgeon to the Queen.

Medical director Dr Stephen Hunter said: "He was a man ahead of his times. He pioneered many of the psychiatric services which are available today and was patient-focussed to ensure they had the best treatment and help available. He was supremely enthusiastic and energetic towards everything he did and he achieved much."

National Eisteddfod chief executive Elfed Roberts said he had the pleasure of working with Dr Hughes when the festival came to Newport in 1988 and last year.

"He was an able man, very supportive. He did a tremendous amount of work in a quiet and dignified way. He had a way of persuading people to participate.

"He was well respected in Newport. He could persuade people who had possibly never been to an eisteddfod before to support it and that is a wonderful gift.

"He was always ably supported by his wife Sally. "I think Newport and Wales will sadly miss John."