Edwin Djabatey - Consultant Anaesthetist
Ed is of Ghanaian heritage. He grew up and received his education including Medical School in Ghana. His parents moved from Ghana to the UK when the Judiciary came under attack during the political troubles of the 1980’s. Ed is one of four siblings who were thus in and out of the UK visiting their parents. He is married and met his wife in London when she was studying at the Queen Mary College, University of London. He has two children, a daughter who is a doctor in Merseyside and a son who is a solicitor in Manchester.
Ed moved formally to the UK in 1990 and trained in the Mersey Region Anaesthesia Registrar Rotation Scheme, training and working in most hospitals on Merseyside.
He started working as a Consultant Anaesthetist at the Liverpool Women’s Hospital and Royal Liverpool University & Broadgreen Hospital (as it was then known) in 2000. He worked in these two Hospitals his entire consultant career. In addition to his clinical work, he has held a number of Trust roles including Critical Care Lead, College Tutor and was the Clinical Director of Anaesthesia and Theatres for 9 years. He has led on and contributed to many quality and safety improvement projects and was heavily involved with the Future Generation’s Project. He is especially proud of how his department has developed and contributed to the functioning of LWH, a stand alone tertiary hospital.
Ed is passionate about his specialty, Anaesthesia, Perioperative, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine (Anaesthesia for short) which underpins all specialties in hospitals. It is the single biggest hospital specialty and is involved in the care of over 70% of hospital admissions. He says ‘Anaesthetists are the essential oil which lubricate the machinery of the NHS’
One thing which has become obvious from the Covid-19 crisis is the value of the Anaesthesia and Theatre Teams to hospitals and the community.
He is very keen on teaching and training the next generation. They are our future, he says. Investing in the next generation maintains all learning and experience gained which would otherwise be lost. He teaches by example, personal interaction and using clinical leadership.
Ed has just completed a term as the President of the Liverpool Society of Anaesthetists (LSA). The LSA has a membership of anaesthetists from Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales. This was an honour and privilege for him.
Ed has met many inspirational people during his life both professionally and socially. These are people who have had a positive impact on him. He calls these people his ‘GIANTS’. One such professional giant is Dr Bob Wilkes, Consultant Anaesthetist, (currently retired) who has helped him grow and develop professionally. Ed says ‘We stand on the shoulders of giants’. Ed wants to be a giant for others.
Socially, and especially in this time of great racial turbulence, he finds the life and work of Martin Luther King inspirational.
His other interests include reading, walking/hiking, gym and music.
Doris Odeh – Midwife
Doris Odeh is of Nigerian heritage. She was educated and completed her nursing qualification in Nigeria in 1985. She is one of eight siblings, they now live in Nigeria, Kenya and the USA.
Doris moved to the UK in 1984, she then went travelling around the world and got married, returning back to the UK in 1985. Doris has 1 daughter and two adopted children who live in Nigeria.
Doris qualified in the UK as a RGN Nurse in 1988 and worked as a Nurse in Walton Hospital for 3 years and then qualified as midwife in 1991 and went to work as a midwife in 1992, working in Mill Road and Oxford Street and then Liverpool Women’s Hospital.
She also sponsored herself for a BA hons degree in Health Studies and qualified in 1998.
Doris is very passionate about nursing and midwifery, she enjoys caring for women, babies and children, and this is why she left nursing to pursue a career in midwifery.
She has enjoyed a successful career with Liverpool Women’s and speaks very highly of them as an employer, adding that this is why she has stayed at LWH so long.
When asked who is inspirational to her, she confirmed Nelson Mandela as he was very caring and forgiving.
Her other interests include Gardening, Meeting up with friends (pre-covid) and she regularly attends her local Church.
Marianne Hamer – Clinical Lead for Imaging
My name is Marianne Hamer and I’m Clinical Lead for Imaging here at Liverpool Women’s and interim Chair of our BAME network.
I was born and raised in the lovely Caribbean Island of Trinidad and came to the UK when I was 28 to pursue postgraduate education. Like many, one thing lead to the other and now 20 years later I’m still here and happy to call Liverpool my home!
I started my career as a Radiographer and later specialised in ultrasound imaging and became a Sonographer. I have been a clinical tutor and imaging services manager and recently I led the merger of the Radiology departments at the Royal and Aintree hospitals. I am passionate about learning and development for myself and others and I am currently pursuing a Professional Doctorate in Advanced Healthcare Practice.
I am married to a lovely fellow Sonographer and we have one beautiful daughter. I try to maintain a work-life balance and enjoy tennis, golf and cooking.
I am proud of my Caribbean roots and very proud to work in an organisation that wants to make equality, diversity and inclusivity for patients and staff, a top priority.