Wendy Savage up for for prestigious medical award

The obstetrician and gynaecologist who has campaigned vigorously for women’s healthcare and abortion rights has been shortlisted for the BMJ Group Lifetime Achievement Award 2010.

Professor Wendy Savage is an inspirational leader in women’s health. As an obstetrician and gynaecologist, a campaigner, and an academic, she has a lifetime of contributions and achievements in women centred care and continues to be a champion of women’s rights in childbirth and fertility.

Currently honorary visiting professor at Middlesex University, Professor Savage qualified in 1960 and was the first woman consultant to be appointed in obstetrics and gynaecology at The London Hospital.

She has held many posts during her career, including senior lecturer in obstetrics and gynaecology at the London Hospital Medical College and honorary consultant in obstetrics and gynaecology at the Royal London Hospital.

Various hospital and academic posts took Professor Savage around the world, and she has worked in the United States, Nigeria, Kenya, and New Zealand, where she set up an abortion service before the law was liberalised.

Professor Savage’s reputation grew after a high profile inquiry in 1985. After being accused of incompetence in the management of obstetric cases and suspended from her post at the London Hospital Medical College, she was cleared of all charges and reinstated in 1986.

She was an elected member of the General Medical Council for more than 16 years, serving on several committees. In addition to extensive clinical, teaching, and research experience in the UK she has written several books and published many papers.

Professor Savage has coordinated Doctors for a Woman’s Choice on Abortion for many years and supported women’s right to safe, legal abortion in the UK.

She is a longstanding member and former president of the Medical Women’s Federation. A former member of the Council of the BMA, she remains an active member.

The BMJ Group Lifetime Achievement Award 2010 will go to ‘the individual who has, over his or her working lifetime, made a unique and substantial contribution to improving health care, whether in clinical practice, health services, public health, health policy, medical education, or medical research’. The award is judged by a BMJ readers’ online poll - voting is open to all, from 4 January to 12 February. 

Ann Furedi, chief executive of BPAS, said:

‘Wendy has fought for women’s right to decide how their pregnancies ended whether in childbirth or abortion. She put her reputation on the line in defence of women’s choice many years before it was fashionable, or even acceptable. She’s a true reproductive health hero and we owe her a great debt of gratitude.’

To vote for Wendy Savage, visit the BMJ website, scroll down and click on the poll on the right hand side.

News: BMJ Group Lifetime Achievement Award - Professor Wendy Savage. British Medical Journal, 29 December 2009

Also read:

Stop doctoring the statistics! By Wendy Savage. Abortion Review, 2 June 2008