Psychiatric Bulletin (2003) 27: 158-159. doi: 10.1192/pb.27.4.158-a
© 2003 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Psychiatric Bulletin (2003) 27: 158-159
© 2003 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Dr Gabrielle Maria Kearney
Formerly Consultant Psychiatrist, The Hesketh Centre, Southport, Merseyside
M. L. Wesson
Gabrielle Kearney, Consultant Adult General Psychiatrist, died at a local
Hospice aged 42. She was a compassionate woman who will be greatly missed by
family, friends and
colleagues.
Born in Liverpool in 1960, Gabby, as she was always known, attended Notre
Dame High School in Woolton. She studied Medical Microbiology at the
University of Dundee, gaining a BSc (Hons) in 1984. She remained in Dundee to
study medicine, qualifying in 1987. After completing her pre-registration
year, she was appointed to the North Staffordshire/South Cheshire Psychiatric
Training Scheme based at the Department of Postgraduate Medicine, University
of Keele. She was elected MRCPsych in 1991 and joined the North Wales Higher
Psychiatric Training Scheme in August 1992.
Gabby took up post as a full-time Consultant Psychiatrist in Southport in
January 1996, and continued working at the Hesketh Centre until shortly before
her death. She was involved in providing mental health services to the adult
populations of Southport and Formby. She was appointed shortly after the
closures of the asylum in Southport and Greaves Hall Hospital, and relocation
of the mental health service to the Hesketh Centre. She was tireless in her
efforts to modernise the service and it was not unusual for her to work late
on most nights of the week. She was first and foremost a clinician, but took
an active role in service provision, teaching and audit. Her gentle
determination, strong work ethic and excellent clinical acumen made her
popular with her patients and well liked by her colleagues. She worked hard to
improve patient care and to offer alternatives to hospital admission, and the
Crisis Unit and partial hospitalisation system are now established features of
the mental health service in Southport. She regularly gave lectures and
seminars to the staff of the local Samaritans to support them in their
service.
She was one of six children in a large, caring family in Liverpool. Her
younger brother, Jamie, particularly enjoyed those trips to the States he was
able to make with her. Gabby herself never married and had no children of her
own. Her Catholic faith became increasingly important to her and was a great
source of strength, particularly in her latter years. She attended her local
church regularly and made a number of trips to Lourdes.
Gabby enjoyed a simple lifestyle, but had a fondness for opera, films and
fine wines. She had a particular passion for travel. During her university
days, for example, she spent an elective period in Kenya working at the Aga
Khan Hospital, Nairobi and at a Catholic mission in a rural area and as a
psychiatric registrar, she organised a placement for herself in Melbourne. She
also travelled widely during vacations.
She was a generous woman, who donated to a number of charitable
organisations and had sponsored a child in Africa, with whom she received
regular correspondence. She was one of those people who had an aura of
approachability and benevolence.
Gabby was diagnosed with breast cancer in December 1996. She faced her
illness with courage and dignity. She died on 7 June 2002, following a sudden
recurrence of the cancer. She is missed by all who knew her.
