The tragic case of a neuroradiologist who died by suicide has cast light on the scale of the mental health difficulties faced by many doctors and the essential need to establish adequate safeguards to protect all employees.
Dr. Sarah Jenkins, a pioneering interventional neuroradiologist at National Health Service Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC), U.K., took her own life earlier this year. A tribute fund was set up in her memory in April and has now raised over £14,300 (€16,600) for Samaritans, a charity that provides emotional support to anyone struggling to cope, with a focus on suicide prevention. The tribute fund has also attracted many comments, including tributes posted by former colleagues, particularly in interventional radiology.
Dr. Sarah Jenkins was one of the first women in the U.K. to work as a consultant interventional neuroradiologist. All photos courtesy of “Tribute fund for Sarah.”
According to her LinkedIn page, Jenkins joined NHSGGC in August 2002. For over 18 years, she worked as an interventional neuroradiologist -- a job she loved dearly -- before being appointed a consultant diagnostic neuroradiologist in November 2020.
Her wider interests included understanding and improving NHS culture through restorative practices. The slogan on her X account -- “Seeking NHS Scotland culture change through restorative approaches” -- indicated her commitment to improving the atmosphere in the workplace.
“We work in toxic organisations which need whole system change,” she noted on 11 July 2023. “We need to develop better ways to relate to one another, to flatten the hierarchies that support toxic behaviours in the medical profession. Our senior leadership teams need to start listening & acting.”
In a post on 12 September 2023, she stated: “Regulation makes no difference to the culture of organisations. It is the toxic culture that is accepted by the establishment that needs to be addressed for change to occur.”
In another post on 11 January 2024, she wrote: “I am utterly sickened and disgusted by this latest revelation from the U.K. Post Office inquiry. When the news gets this triggering, one wakes up to the parallels with our NHS culture.”
Tributes from colleagues
The homepage of the tribute fund noted that “Sarah was a wonderful mother to Finlay and wife to Andy,” and she “fought and sadly lost her battle with mental health.” Below is a small selection of the tributes posted so far:
“Sarah was one of the first women in the U.K. to work as a consultant interventional neuroradiologist. She was a hugely admired and respected pioneer who inspired others and saved many lives in her professional life.”
“Sarah was a great supporter of the Women in Neurointervention group, formed in 2022 to create a network for the expanding number of women practising in the specialty. Despite some unbelievable challenges during her career, Sarah’s courage was admirable. Her determination to turn her lived experiences into positives, to change the landscape for younger colleagues and to empower us for what we may face in the future was truly inspirational.”
Outside of work, Dr. Sarah Jenkins was a singer in a band. She performed at the King Tut's Wah Wah Hut in Glasgow.
“Sarah was an amazing, brilliant light confronted with a dark world. Saw her remove the hardest basilar clot, but also ask about the patient for weeks after, as she recovered.”
“An exceptional radiologist.”
“She was such a thoughtful and caring colleague and I will miss our chats, both in reporting room and when I would occasionally bump into her in the West End.”
“Sarah was always looking for ways to try and make others feel appreciated at work.”
“Sarah was a kind, compassionate and lovely colleague. I'll miss our chats and laughs in the reporting room.”
“What a loss for the good people of Glasgow too. Why can't people and organisations be kind?”
“I will always remember you and will champion your wish for the world to be kinder.”
“I worked with you Sarah in neuro intervention. You saved so many lives.”
“Sarah was a talented interventional and diagnostic neuroradiologist but more importantly she cared about fairness at work.”
“I can't believe it - but as a fellow whistleblower - I can totally relate.”
“You will always be remembered for your strength, dedication and commitment.”
“In our last conversation you inspired me to be brave in my decision making, and I know you will have inspired so many others. Thank you for being that bright spark, igniting positive change.”
“With memories of Sarah as a beacon of light and hope and healing for others.”
Dr. Sarah Jenkins loved the outdoors, particularly walks on the beach.
"I worked with Sarah when she was training in interventional neuroradiology," Editorial Advisory Board member Dr. Catherine Mandel told AuntMinnieEurope. "As a registrar she was hardworking and forthright in her care for our patients. More recently I met her at patient safety meetings: her determination to speak up, to speak out, for patient safety was stronger than ever, something we shared. This was not an easy path to follow and her death is more than tragic, it is a loss for patient care in Glasgow and more widely for patient safety."
Response from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
When AuntMinnieEurope asked NHSGGC to comment on the case, we received the following statement on 7 July:
“Colleagues at NHSGGC were deeply saddened by the passing of Dr. Sarah Jenkins earlier this year. We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family, friends, and colleagues. Dr. Jenkins was a valued member of our neuroradiology team, and her loss continues to be felt across the organisation. While we are unable to comment on the specifics of individual cases, we can confirm that we offer a wide range of wellbeing resources to all our staff, including mental health support, counselling services, and peer support networks. These services are regularly reviewed and enhanced to ensure they meet the evolving needs of our workforce.”
It is unclear yet whether any further investigations into the tragedy are currently being conducted, but of relevance here is a “Freedom of Information – External Review” issued by NHS Lothian in July 2024. This document followed the publication of a November 2023 document called “External review carried out by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde: FOI release.”
