Surgeon receives national award

A consultant vascular surgeon at Oxford University Hospitals (OUH) has been recognised with a distinguished award in British surgery, acknowledging her work to improve safety and fairness across the profession.

Mei Nortley, who is also Deputy Director for Teaching in Surgery at the University of Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, has received the prestigious Moynihan Lectureship and Medal from the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland (ASGBI), in collaboration with the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

The award is given to individuals who have made a significant contribution to the field.

Mei delivered the annual Moynihan Lecture at the ASGBI International Surgical Congress in Brighton, where she presented research examining how medical tribunals handle cases involving sexual misconduct.

Her research has attracted national attention, with findings published in leading medical journals and the mainstream media.

The work has helped shape new national guidance on the implementation of Medical Practitioner Tribunals, contributing to reforms designed to improve fairness, accountability, and workplace safety across the medical profession.

Mei said: "It was an honour and a privilege to receive the Royal College of Surgeons of England Moynihan Lectureship and Medal on behalf of an exceptional team. It meant everything to have my co-authors, Ms Frances Dixon and Ms Rohsneen Ali, alongside me as I presented our work on medical practitioner tribunal outcomes in sexual misconduct.

"The issues we raise in our work – and the wider context surrounding them – affect all of us. Until we have robust processes within our regulatory systems, we will continue to experience a lack of psychological and institutional safety in our workplaces. I encourage colleagues to engage with this work, which has important implications for both healthcare professionals and patients alike."

Professor Andrew Brent, Chief Medical Officer at OUH, said: “Mei's achievement is a tremendous honour and richly deserved recognition of her leadership not just in clinical practice and academic research, but in highlighting and addressing important issues around sexual safety in the workplace.

"Her work is influencing important changes at a national level and reflects the values we champion at the Trust. We are incredibly proud to have her as part of the OUH team. Congratulations, Mei."

The Moynihan Lectureship is named after Lord Moynihan, a pioneering British abdominal surgeon and former President of the Royal College of Surgeons who championed collaboration, transparency and shared learning to raise standards across healthcare.