Pioneering Derriford consultant chosen for national recognition in London show

A surgeon from Plymouth has been chosen to take part in a major national exhibition celebrating women working in surgery.

Manuela Cresswell, Consultant Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Surgeon at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, will have her portrait displayed at the Hunterian Museum inside the Royal College of Surgeons of England in London.

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The free exhibition, titled Insight: Portraits of Women in Surgery, opened on 6 February and continues until 18 April 2026, open Wednesdays to Saturdays.

It brings together surgeons working in many surgical specialties at different stages of their careers, with photographs showing them in places that reflect their everyday work. 

According to the organisers, women now make up more than half of doctors in the UK, but only about 17 per cent of consultant surgeons are female and around 36 per cent of surgical trainees are women.

Ms Cresswell is the first female ENT consultant at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, and she said she felt honoured to be included in the exhibition believing it is important to improve the visibility of women in surgery.

“Female surgeons are still a minority, and we need to challenge societal bias and make them more visible to the world,” she said.

The exhibition also shares personal stories from the surgeons about what influenced their careers. 

Miss Cresswell described how witnessing a serious road traffic accident as a teenager shaped her decision to become a surgeon.

“My parents, both doctors, were first at the scene, and watching their calm triage, teamwork, and difficult decision-making left a lasting impression on me. I realised I wanted the skills to help in moments of crisis,” she said.

She also offered advice to those considering a career in surgery, encouraging them to focus on steady progress and self-belief.

“Progress is built slowly through persistence and reflection,” she said. “Learn to quiet down the inner voice that says ‘you are not good enough’.”

All surgeons featured in the exhibition are members of the Women in Surgery Network, a national initiative that supports women pursuing surgical careers.

Most images were taken by photography staff from NHS trusts where the surgeons work, with Ms Cresswell’s portrait taken by Paige Nolan, a communications officer at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust.