Abstract
Mary's many skills rapidly became apparent. The patient always came first. Over time it became apparent what drove that loyalty. Mary felt her mother's hospital treatment at the end of her life had been uncaring and it had developed in Mary an unbending insistence that the patient's needs were paramount. She was a full partner in the many developments which occurred during the growth of the department of hand surgery in the years that followed. The implementation of these changes was almost always her sole responsibility and in that area she excelled. She developed a database for hand surgery diagnosis and procedures. The Hand Surgery department could generate more accurate data than the main hospital systems. She designed and managed two, yearlong audits of hand surgery activity which were used by several departments to justify better staffing for hand surgery services.
As a department the Hand Unit wanted to strengthen its research opportunities. Mary gained an MSc in Research Methods and developed the research secretariat. She worked for the European Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand for 10 years taking Council minutes and producing the Federation Membership Directory of over 2000 hand surgeons. All these initiatives took place while managing a department that expanded from just over one whole time hand surgeon to eight hand surgeons and six fellows. She had an awesome work ethic.
Mary was a huge advocate of hand therapy and supported therapists by not only creating opportunities within the department, but also ensuring that therapists were represented and encouraged. As the hand unit grew over the years, Mary ensured that therapy was on the agenda and as a result the therapy team also grew and developed. She was an instigator in the setting up and running of the Derby Hand Therapists’ course, which she ran with great efficiency and enthusiasm. She was keen to get the views of therapists and to create programmes that were varied, interesting and relevant.
Many in the department will remember her for passionate advocacy of the patient's needs – pioneering patient focused care long before the concept had general acceptance. Previous fellows of the unit will remember her hospitality, welcoming them into her home. Many more therapists and senior hand surgeons in the Hand Society will remember the courses she managed, bringing together able speakers and an informed audience, creating discussions that usually overran.
I think her most fulfilling times were early in our association when sitting in on the clinics in direct contact with patients, and also the early courses when she had the chance to get to know so many enthusiastic young hand surgeons and therapists on the threshold of their careers. The courses and the clinics were empowering and that satisfied one of the main drivers in her life.
Mary was diagnosed with an inoperable cancer in November of 2012 and was admitted to the MacMillan Unit in late December. She retained her intelligence, humour and dignity to the end, dying with her family around her on the 28 December 2012. She left the world a better place.