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Mary Macintosh, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologogist

Dr Mary MacintoshI was awarded an Elizabeth Nuffield Education Fund award in 1974. This was at a time when life events conspired to make me review my path in life. I was in my final year studying mathematics at Cambridge University when my mother died unexpectedly of cancer. I helped look after her and had my first experience of the health service. Her illness focussed me on wanting to become a doctor. The award allowed me to achieve this aim which helped me cope with her loss in a positive way.

I went on to qualify in medicine at Sheffield University in 1980 and was awarded the medal in clinical medicine and surgery. I then went on to specialise in obstetrics and gynaecology and became a consultant in 1995. The practical and pragmatic approach of obstetrics and gynaecology contrasted significantly with the scientific and reasoning approach of mathematics. Throughout my career I have been a strong advocate of both approaches and my role has been to interface between them. As a result I have held a series of unusual and extremely interesting posts within the health service related to women’s health. These have included the Director of the Confidential Enquiries into Stillbirths and Deaths in Infancy (1997 -2003); Medical Director to the Confidential Enquiries into Maternal and Child Health (2003-2006). My current post is the Director of the National Chlamydia Screening Programme which like the others promises to be quite a challenge.

Last Updated Thu, 6 July 2006