Sam Hughes, Woodbury, Exeter UK; Mother Sarah Murty Hughes.

 

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Here is Judy's obituary in the BMJ & written by one of her Medical colleagues:

 

Dr Judy Murty, former Senior Clinical Medical Officer, Leeds Contraception & Sexual Health service, died on 28 August 2009 in St Leonard’s Hospice, York, after a 2-year battle with carcinoma of the colon.

 

Judy was born in 1949, in Cornwall, the daughter of a vet. She then grew up in Crediton, Devon, and after attending school locally studied Medicine at Manchester University, qualifying in 1973.

 

In 1974 she married Keith, and they moved to Scotland where she obtained her DRCOG. As a service wife, there were frequent moves, and consequently Judy worked in her chosen field of “family planning” in many different places including Fife, Gwynedd and Lincolnshire, before settling in Yorkshire in 1987.

 

Judy was a founder member of the Faculty of Family Planning and one of the first to be awarded a Fellowship. In 2003, following appeal, she was one of a few Faculty members accepted onto the specialist register. Her contributions to the specialty were considerable, both nationally and locally. She was Joint Deanery Advisor for Yorkshire 2000–2006, an examiner for MFFP and a member of the Higher Training Committee. She also served as the Faculty website manager and had many publications to her name.

 

Judy was a great believer in the power of clinical audit to influence managers and improve patient care. She initiated and ran a highly effective audit programme in Leeds years before it became standard practice. She became the Clinical Director of the Faculty’s National Co-ordinating Unit for Clinical Audit in 1994.

 

A member of the Expert Witness Institute, Judy was keen to extend her knowledge, and in 2003 she achieved a Masters in Medical Ethics and the Law.

 

Judy was much in demand as a highly respected speaker and trainer. She was also an extremely dedicated and caring doctor: a strong advocate for her frequently challenging patients. They were known to follow her round between clinics to make sure the y saw her.

 

As a skilled needlewoman, early retirement in 2006 gave her more time to devote to her embroidery and doll making. She soon became Secretary of the Local Embroiderers Guild and was Chair-elect at the time of her death.

 

Judy was an immensely positive person, whose energy and enthusiasm for everything she did was infectious. Many of us have cause to remember her with great gratitude and affection. Dr Judy Murty is survived by her husband, daughter and son.

 

Submitted by Dr Anne Bennett, MRCGP, FFSRH, Associate Specialist, Contraception & Sexual Health, NHS Leeds Community Healthcare, Leeds, UK.

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