Hebridean Heroines who inspired the NHS
22 Feb 2017
Three University historians tell the tale of nursing on the wild Western Isles
A new book on district nurses in the Outer Hebrides brings together the talents of three University historians.
It tells the tale of the ‘Hebridean Heroines’ of healthcare who rowed boats to their appointments, battling the elements to reach their patients, on one occasion saving a toddler who had fallen into a pot of soup.
‘Hebridean Heroines’ is based on Catherine Morrison’s 2014 PhD thesis supervised by Professor Christine Hallett of the UK Centre for the History of Nursing. Then journalist Chris Holme, a 1975 graduate, came in to help with the editing.
Until recently, the voices of nurses and midwives have had little prominence in medical history. This is what prompted Jennifer Worth to write ‘Call the Midwife’ based on her own experiences in London’s East End.
‘Hebridean Heroines’ is unique because not only is Catherine a retired nurse, but also because it is based on interviews with more than 25 Queen’s Nurses – highly trained in district nursing and midwifery, who worked in the Outer Hebrides between 1940 and 1974.
They already had a formidable reputation, working for the pre-NHS Highlands and Islands Medical Service, which inspired similar services to set up in Kentucky, Newfoundland and Australia.
Catherine said: “These stories are important, not only because many of the women are no longer here, but also because they recall a lifestyle that cannot be recognised today. To capture the history of these nurses was an honour and many of the experiences they related will stay with me forever. This book is both my thanks to them and their legacy”.
It was an equally special project for Christine and her colleague Dr Hannah Cooke.
Christine said: “Catherine has done a superb job. What was so impressive about the Queen’s Nurses of the Outer Hebrides was their capacity not only to bring fundamental nursing skill to their patients but also to demonstrate the ability to improvise, to push the boundaries of their practice when needed.
“I hope that their personal testimony may help inspire a new generation of nurses to understand the true potential of their work – the ways in which expert nursing practice, coupled with commitment and courage, can transform people’s lives.”
The book, produced with the support of the Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland, has already had a glowing review in the Scotsman.
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