George Henry (1938-2021) attended St Columba’s College and then went on to Trinity College Dublin to study medicine. After qualification he went away to continue his training and returned to take up a registrar post at the Rotunda in 1965. He became chief assistant to the master, before becoming a consultant and was subsequently elected as master in 1981 and completed the seven-year term to finish in 1987.
His time as master coincided with poor public finances and the hospital found itself with a significant funding deficit, so he had to deal with not only the challenge of ensuring best possible patient care was provided but also that the infrastructure of the buildings was maintained.
He managed this successfully through controlling costs and an expanded fundraising programme. He sought to improve conditions for patients in the labour ward, operating theatre and in outpatients as well as postnatal accommodation. His plans were accepted by the Department of Health and the works were completed in 1993.
The Pillar Room had been a vision of Bartholomew Mosse and had been used to raise funds for the hospital but it had become run down and needed to be renovated. Dr Henry led a fundraising drive to redevelop the room as a new conference and teaching centre and oversaw its reopening by the minister for health in 1985. Dr Henry was keenly aware of social and societal issues and recognised the dearth of services in sexual violence. In 1985 with his support the first dedicated Sexual Assault Treatment Unit was opened on the hospital site and the Rotunda today leads the national service. He was famous for looking after all his patients; he left no stone unturned to make sure those who needed care or services got access to them. He was involved in improving the lot of asylum seekers from sub Saharan Africa in the late 1990s. He was also keenly aware of the need for good family planning, access to sterilisation and also fertility treatment and encouraged the development of these services as part of a complete package of women’s healthcare. Dr Henry was the last master to live on site with his family in the old master’s house, which went on to become the Royal College of Surgeons teaching unit and the Human Assisted Reproduction Infertility unit.
In the latter stages of his career he spent much of his time teaching and encouraging his trainees instilling the value of support, communication and togetherness, he was the reason many of us started and stayed in obstetrics and gynaecology. He was involved in every social event and made sure everyone was included. His legacy lives on and has made the Rotunda one of the best hospitals to work in because of that culture he valued so much.
He retired from practice in 2003. He is fondly remembered by everyone who worked with him, he was a legendary character whose spirit lives on in those he taught. He is survived by his wife, Hilary, two children, Rachel and Jonathan, and five grandchildren.