In 1977 Liz (Elizabeth) Shore, who has died aged 94, became deputy chief medical officer (DCMO). She held this post, one of the highest positions in medicine, for eight years. In 1984, Shore would have been appointed to the top job – chief medical officer – as she was the strongest candidate, but the prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, vetoed the appointment, suspicious of Shore’s Labour connections. (Her husband, Peter, was in the shadow cabinet.)
In the 1970s the medical career structure was pyramid-shaped, with junior doctors working more than 70 hours a week and competing for a tiny number of consultant posts. This career path in particular did not suit women with children, who were leaving in droves; one study found that 40% of female medical graduates were leaving the profession.
