MWF
would like to thank Dr Lesley A Hall from the Welcome Trust for her involvement
in the collection and preservation of MWF material. The information below
has been adapted from her article '80 years of the Medical Women's Federation',
published in Medical Woman, Summer 1997 Vol 16 no 2, pp 6-9.
1879-1919 Origins - The Medical
Women's Federation is Founded in London The
MWF developed from the Association of Registered Medical Women. This had been
founded in London in 1879 with only nine members representing most of the
qualified medical women then in existence in the United Kingdom. A number
of provincial associations were set up as more and more women qualified in
medicine By 1916 the advantages of a body which would speak on behalf of all
medical women and represent their interests (and those of women patients)
had become apparent. Representatives of these existing associations came together
to establish a Federation to fight for matters of mutual benefit, while retaining
the separate identity and autonomy of the local associations. An immediate
stimulus to this was the very churlish attitude of the Government towards
women doctors who wished to serve their country in time of war by offering
their professional skills to the war effort.
In 1917 Articles of Association were drawn up and signed and the Medical Women’s
Federation incorporated as a limited company with an office in London. The
initial membership was 190, representing only a percentage of the numbers
of women by then on the Medical Register. Included were some of the most distinguished
medical women of the time such as Jane Walker, Ethel Williams, Catherine Chisholm,
Lady (Florence) Barrett and Louisa Aldrich-Blake.Initial concerns of the Federation
included the position of medical women engaged in war work, both with the
forces and examining Government factory and other workers in munitions and
other employment relating to the war effort. The Federation also demonstrated
its strong roots in the women’s movement by its active interventions
in contemporary debates about venereal disease and prostitution. Concerns
for maternity and infant welfare also appeared very early.
1920-1938 The Early Years -
The principle of equal remuneration for medical women was strongly asserted.
Membership passes the 1000 mark. In
1921, a subcommittee to discuss the topic of birth control (which had recently
been made notorious by Marie Stopes) was set up and the Association of Medical
Women in India affiliated to the Federation. The principle of equal remuneration
for medical women was strongly asserted.
By 1925 membership had passed the 1000 mark.
In the 1920s, however, a number of medical schools which had opened their
doors to women during the First World War closed them again, and the principle
of medical co-education come under serious threat. Although, in the wake of
the enfranchisement of women (aged over thirty only until the ‘flapper
vote’ was finally achieved in 1928) various legislative enactments had
apparently thrown professions open to women, local authorities and other employing
bodies frequently instituted their own regulations imposing marriage bars
on women’s employment. This was hard for a generation which no longer
believed that celibacy was the necessary price to be paid for being allowed
to pursue a profession. Such regulations additionally had a significant impact
because of the increasing employment of women doctors within expanding public
health services. A Standing Committee on Public Health was eventually set
up to deal with the issues affecting the numerous women in the public health
service.
The MWF was concerned with wider issues than their own professional problems.
Committees were appointed to address the question of nutrition, lunacy law
reform, assaults on young persons, the registration of nursing homes, the
fitness of women to qualify as commercial aeroplane pilots, the menopause,
and the improvement of women’s health in India. A leaflet on advice
regarding the hygiene of menstruation was published and sold 10,000 copies
within a year. This was a subject in which the MWF continued to be intensely
interested for several decades.
Another women’s health issue which exercised the MWF was the adequate
provision of birth control information and in 1931 they passed a resolution
that instruction should be included in the ordinary gynaecological syllabus
of medical schools, and suggested that the Birth Control Investigation Committee
ought to include a woman gynaecologist.
In 1930, women in medicine broke through a number of barriers: the first women
Commissioner was appointed to the Board of Control and the first woman Chief
Medical Officer of a London Borough and Regional Medical Officer under the
National Health Insurance Acts took up their posts. The London County Council,
one of the largest employing authorities, decreed that all medical appointments
under its control should be open to both women and men. A number of hospitals
finally admitted women onto their honorary staff. Three years later, following
a long campaign, in 1933, a medical woman, Christine Murrell, was elected
to the General Medical Council, but died before she could take her place.
1939-1960 The Mid Years - the outbreak of war ensures equal pay allowances.
All medical schools opened to women. On
the outbreak of war in 1939, the War Office agreed to appoint medical women
with the same pay and allowances as medical men, and with ‘relative
rank’, though actual commissions were still not granted. However, in
1941, the Indian Medical Service actually invited medical women to apply for
temporary commissions. In 1946, the first women members were appointed to
the British Medical Association council. With the inception of the National
Health Services, all medical schools were finally opened to women, although
for several decades a quota system of around 20% was applied by most of them.
The MWF continued to demonstrate its interest in a range of issues relevant
to women, including social medicine, pain in childbirth, the health of schoolgirls
and the place of family planning in the National Health Service. While some
long-standing causes of grievance about women in the profession had been eradicated,
there were still many problems for women doctors in pursuing their careers
and obtaining advanced qualifications. These particularly affected married
women and questions around part-time work came to play an increasing part
in the Federation’s activities.
During the 1950s and 1960s, the MWF took an increasing role through its representation
on other medical bodies, such as the General Medical Council and committees
of the British Medical Association, as well as submitting evidence to various
official committees and commissions on a wide range of topics.
Connections with a range of other women’s organisations were built up,
and in 1963 an MWF resolution to the Women’s Group on Public Welfare
led to the establishment of the Women’s National Cancer Control Campaign
to promote facilities for screening for cervical cancer. A major survey of
the work of medical women was undertaken jointly with the BMA in 1963. The
Scientific subcommittee of the Federation undertook a research project on
cancer of the ovary, with the object of making earlier diagnosis, and therefore
earlier treatment, of this malignant disease possible. On the international
front the MWF expressed concern over the persistence of ritual female circumcision
in several African countries.
1961-Present Recent Years - MWF reaches
charitable status, addresses prominent issues within the health industry
In
the area of professional concerns of medical women, 1962 saw the setting up
of an Advisory Service to deal with the problems of married women seeking
part-time work or returning to practice after a break. Particular attention
was devoted to the questions of postgraduate education and higher qualifications.
In 1969 a network of Liaison Officers was established to undertake a re-education
and re-employment project at local levels. In 1972 a Retainer Scheme was launched
for doctors who, usually for domestic reasons, were unable to do more than
two sessions, enabling them to remain professionally active by subsidising
their subscriptions to the GMC and Medical Protection Society. The prejudicial
position of married professional women in respect of income tax had long been
recognised as a problem: in 1964 an Inter-Professional Working Party was set
up at the MWF’s initiative to bring together women in a similar position
to discuss remedies and to lobby for changes in the law.
In 1970, the MWF was designated as eligible for charitable status.
Throughout the 1970s and 80s, questions of career development and training
continued to play an important part in the Federation’s activities.
Other issues of concern were abortion, rape and sexual assault, assisted reproduction,
and sex education, as well as traditional interests such as child health.
In the 1990s and early 2000s, changes in the National Health Services as the
result of several phases of reorganisation have had implications for women
doctors. Although the battles of the early years have largely been won, there
are still many campaigns to be fought. Women now account for 66% of medical
students and it is vital to plan for this workforce of the future. Part time
work and juggling family commitments with training were Federation issues
in the 1940s and are still MWF campaigning issues today. Lack of opportunity
for part time work and financial constraints make these issues as topical
today as in the 1940s.
The
large and extensive archive of the MWF, including material on women's entry
into the medical profession, and predecessor bodies, is held by the Wellcome
Library for the History and Understanding of Medicine, which also holds a
significant amount of other archive and manuscript material on women doctors.
