WOMEN IN MEDICINE
Cutting edge
Britain’s trailblazing female surgeon
When Averil Mans field qualified as a surgeon in the 1970s, 2% of the profession were women. But she became the UK’s first ever female professor of surgery
by HELEN C ARROLL
NHS HERO at medical school in Liverpool.
LYDIA EVANS, AVERIL MANSFIELD, SHUTTERSTOCK
Averil continues to inspire in retirement
Averil Mansfield was an ambitious and talented young doctor when she announced, to a senior surgeon, her plan to marry her architect boy friend. ‘What a pity,’ he replied. ‘ You had such a promising career as a surgeon.’ For t unately, for the thousands of patients whose lives Averil went on to save with her pioneering vascular surger y, which included stroke prevention operations, she was undeterred by his response. Such a reaction was, s adly, ver y much in keeping with the general attitude – that women must choose between marriage and career – within the medical profession at the time.
Despite marrying her first husband Jonathan in 1960, these discouraging words ringing in her ears, Averil reached the very top of her game, becoming a consultant surgeon in 1972, aged 35, and the first female professor of surger y in Britain in 1993 when she was 55.
‘It simply never occurred to me that it might be difficult to become a surgeon,’ says Averil, now 85, who retired from the NHS 20 years ago. ‘I didn’t want any special treatment, just for those around me to ack nowledge that I could do the job and I’m gratef ul that most of my colleag ues were exceedingly helpful.’