Celebrating women in geriatric medicine on International Women's Day 2021 #IWD2021

Despite women accounting for 77 percent of employees in the NHS, women in medicine continue to face barriers to taking up senior roles. Less than one quarter of hospital Trust medical directors and just 13 percent of all clinical professors on university contracts are women.

The theme for International Women's Day 2021 is ‘A challenged world is an alert world and from challenge comes change. So, let's all choose to challenge’. This theme is particularly relevant to women in medicine in light of the disproportionately low numbers of women in senior leadership roles.
 

To help celebrate the day we asked BGS members to write a short tribute celebrating a woman in geriatric medicine who has been a personal inspiration, challenged the status quo through exceptional leadership, and promoted gender equality in healthcare.

Here are some of the inspirational women working in older people’s healthcare as nominated by BGS members…

Dr Theresa Allain, Consultant Physician at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust

“Theresa Allain is my inspiration. A true egalitarian across age, gender, class and race, not just through theory and platitudes, but genuinely in practice. A listener, open to challenge and debate, but vocal and articulate. An evidence-based clinician and focused researcher, who, probably without realising, has guided me over 20 years!”

Tribute written by Jugdeep Dhesi

Dr Abigail Barkham, Clinical Lead for Physical Health at Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust

“Our inspiration is Dr Abigail Barkham. She has created a specialist urgent community response service for people with frailty led by Nurse and AHP Advanced Clinical Practitioners. She's our inspiration because she has increased quality patient care whilst developing other clinicians to her own high standards.”

Tribute written by Becky Edwards and Sarah Mercer

Dr Eileen Burns MBE, Consultant Geriatrician and BGS President 2016-2018

“Eileen has been a pioneer for community geriatric medical services. As previous BGS president she championed the needs of older people and was steadfast in her approach. She has encouraged women to believe they can be successful in senior positions, with many a wise word for those who know her.”

Tribute written by Emma Vardy

Professor Jacqui Close, Geriatrician at Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney Australia

“Whilst I have been inspired by so many geriatricians, Professor Jacqui Close was key to me pursuing a career in academic geriatric medicine. Her approach is brilliant across the realms of clinical care, leadership and academia. She is direct and tenacious, famously placing a toy dinosaur on the table every time colleagues were tempted to yearn for bygone days! She is perspicacious, straightforward and wise, a steady presence throughout my career. Jacqui was my clinical supervisor and subsequently a mentor, collaborator and colleague. Enduring however, she remains a wonderful and very cherished friend.”

Tribute written by Emily Henderson

Dr Dawne Garrett, Professional Lead for Older People and Dementia Care at Royal College of Nursing and University of Hull

“Dr Dawne Garrett is an exceptional and inspirational leader in older people’s health and social care. Challenging many forms of inequality including gender, she is equally generous with her time when approached by students, senior clinicians and peers. We are delighted she will be a facilitator on our #NurseAHPCouncil #Futureleaders #CommunityofPractice.”

Tribute written by Lucy Lewis

Professor Vicki Goodwin MBE, Associate Professor of Ageing and Rehabilitation at University of Exeter

“Vicki is a huge inspiration. She leads studies that have a positive impact on older people’s rehabilitation and is a fantastic champion of AHPs who want to develop a clinical academic career. Vicki has gone out of her way to provide me, and others, with mentorship and opportunities to develop.”

Tribute written by Hannah Young

Dr Victoria Haunton, Honorary Senior Lecturer at University of Leicester

“Dr Victoria Haunton is an honorary senior lecturer with research interests in cerebral haemodynamics, neurodegeneration and ageing physiology. She is a fabulous teacher, patient focused geriatrician and successful research supervisor with a national reputation. She should be very proud of all she has achieved within the first few years as a consultant.”

Tribute written by Nicki Morgan

Dr Anna Hinton, Consultant Geriatrician at Royal Devon and Exeter Foundation Trust

“Dr Hinton has been an inspiration throughout my physiotherapy career. She treats colleagues and patients with kindness, patience, humanity and knowledge. She always makes colleagues feel valued members of the MDT. She’s motivated me to want a consultant physiotherapy geriatrician role and made me believe one day I’ll be capable of it. She is a hero.”

Tribute written by Amy Souster

Dr Christine McAlpine, Consultant Geriatrician and Stroke Physician at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

“Dr McAlpine has held numerous leadership roles in stroke and geriatric medicine, including National Speciality Adviser for geriatric medicine for the Scottish Government. She chaired the Healthcare Improvement Scotland group, writing standards for older people’s care in hospitals in Scotland. She has chaired the BGS Scotland Council. She is currently the Clinical Lead for Stroke Managed Clinical Network and Deputy Chair for the Stroke Association Scotland Committee. She is an inspiration to all who work with her.”

Tribute written by Kirsty Colquhoun

Professor Marion McMurdo, Emeritus Professor of Ageing and Health at Dundee University

“Professor Marion McMurdo combined clinical roles with excellence in research, completing high quality clinical trials in older people with frailty targeting important interventions such as physical activity training and nutrition. I have heard her speak on many occasions and she was a clear communicator commanding her subject. She has the ability to reach out and encourage those coming up the career ladder behind her and is a role model for those women who aspire to leadership and academic careers.”

Tribute written by Dr Jennifer Burns

Dr Nicolette Morgan, Consultant Geriatrician at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust

“Nicki has had multiple roles demonstrating her exemplary leadership including Dementia Lead, Orthogeriatric Lead and now in her current role as Associate Medical Director. She is always an advocate for voices that are underrepresented, not afraid to challenge any inequality and a true inspiration as a mentor and colleague.”

Tribute written by Irfana Musa

Dr Irfana Musa, Consultant Geriatrician at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust

“Irfana leads by example, she is inclusive and compassionate in her leadership style bringing people with her. Current Chair of the BGS Trent Region, Undergraduate Geriatric Medicine Lead and RCP college tutor. She brings commitment and drive to all her work and is much loved by all her colleagues as the department’s social secretary!”

Tribute written by Nicki Morgan, Consultant Geriatrician

Dr Sarah Stoneley, Consultant Geriatrician at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust

“Sarah is the Dementia Lead for Leicester Hospitals. She is passionate and her creative championing of best practice resulted in our hospital being a finalist in the National Dementia Awards 2020. A great colleague, supportive supervisor and keen teacher inspiring the next generation of doctors through her role as undergraduate lead.”

Tribute written by Nicki Morgan

Professor Jackie Taylor, Consultant Geriatrician at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

“In 2018 Professor Taylor became President of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, the first female president in its 419-year history. She leads by example, promoting wellbeing and inclusivity. This has included starting a leadership development scholarship programme for women in medicine.”

Tribute written by Kirsty Colquhoun

Joyce Williams, Retired Physiotherapist

“Even though she’s ‘retired’ she is still an inspirational physiotherapist, regularly blogging and tweeting tips to keep active and well. She uses her voice and experience to influence how we all perceive older age and lives a life that demonstrates how to positively enjoy one's later years.”

Tribute written by Jo Jennings

Dr Helen Wilson, Orthogeriatrician at Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust

“Helen is a geriatrician with passion and enthusiasm who delivers great care and inspires colleagues. Sometimes against the odds she has developed not only people and but key services too. Now a renowned orthogeriatrician, she has displayed remarkable feats of leadership to guide us through the pandemic.”

Tribute written by Dr James Adams

A special thanks to all the BGS members who submitted tributes!