Head of surgery at Groote Schuur Hospital Lydia Cairncross is a formidable teacher and leader through her work

Lydia Cairncross is the first woman of colour to be head of general surgery at Groote Schuur Hospital. Picture: Brendan Magaar African News Agency (ANA)

Lydia Cairncross is the first woman of colour to be head of general surgery at Groote Schuur Hospital. Picture: Brendan Magaar African News Agency (ANA)

Published Dec 11, 2021

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Her personal area of surgical expertise is in endocrine surgery

Cape Town - Hands-on and people-centred care makes Lydia Cairncross a formidable teacher and leader at Groote Schuur Hospital.

Her passion for what she does has been reflected in her recent appointment as head of general surgery at the institution where the first human-to-human heart transplant was done.

She is in charge of a highly clinical team at the Observatory-based hospital and since being based at an academic hospital, her department is also responsible for undergraduate and postgraduate teaching.

Cairncross said her personal area of surgical expertise is in endocrine surgery.

“I remain involved in this clinical work for some of my time. When I am in theatre, the most common operation I am involved in is a thyroidectomy, removal of the thyroid gland for cancer or hyperfunction. Good surgical outcomes are about building functional health systems in which surgical teams can provide an integrated and holistic service,” she said.

Cairncross is the first woman of colour to be head of general surgery at Groote Schuur Hospital.

The mother of two said she would like to emphasise that her appointment is transformative not only because of what she looks like but, more importantly, the hope she brings to this important role.

“I hope to enhance the lens of equity and health justice in the delivery of surgical care. To develop an ethos of teaching and learning that grows empathetic, vocal patient advocates among our doctors and surgeons. And I hope to extend our work as surgeons into arenas where we build genuine and mutually enhancing relationships with the communities we serve.

“While I am a subspecialist surgeon, I believe that my ability to deliver excellent tertiary and quaternary care is best achieved in the context of a holistic, people centred primary healthcare approach. I would love to see my work make a contribution to building such a health system,” she said.

“The medical profession provides an amazing combination of hands-on, people centred care, which they deliver to each patient and the opportunity to engage in human rights advocacy,” she added.

UCT’s dean in the health and science faculty Lionel Green-Thompson said Cairncross is the epitome of a decolonising process within health care for SA.

“She is the ideal role model for our future graduates showing that women in surgery make a difference, that surgeons can engage with communities in helping them take responsibility for their own health and wellbeing,” he said.

Chief executive of Groote Schuur Hospital, Bhavna Patel, said Cairncross deserves this position based on the merit of her capability and expertise.

“Cairncross is a dedicated, loyal and hard-working individual who always considers the needs of the patient first. She is also a brilliant clinician, teacher and leader who will grow this division of general surgery into remaining the best unit in the country,” Patel said.

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