Mary Sumner

Modern Matron/Midwife

“When I came here, I planned to stay for maybe 6 to 12 months. That was in 1985.”

Two decades after arriving from Donegal in the north-west of Ireland, Mary’s still delivering care to the community of Alderney. Based at the island’s Mignot Memorial Hospital, she leads a team of nurses and domestic staff - and is one of a three-strong midwifery team.

“We generally get two or three births a month to deal with - which can happen on the island. But, in most cases, we fly to Guernsey with mums in labour.”

What made Mary stay on Alderney? Well, meeting her husband Marc - now the hospital’s administration manager - was obviously a big factor. “I also grew to love the slower, more relaxed pace of life.”

“Because it’s a smaller environment, you get a great team spirit and good continuity of care. At the same time, we’re up to date with the latest training methods and advanced kit - such as our new digital radiology equipment.”