The history of St Mary’s

I was pleased to see John Ballantyne’s review of my history of St Mary’s Hospital (August 2004 JRSM¹). I would, however, like to correct one remark, where he questions my assertion that the 1988 merger with Imperial College achieved ‘minimal change with maximum protection’. My point was rather different. I suggest that, at least initially, the merger ‘seemed to have achieved minimal change with maximum protection’. But the paragraph continues, though the change seemed nominal, in fact ‘St Mary’s had relinquished real power to Imperial College. If it were to change its mind about leaving St Mary’s be, the school would find it difficult to resist. This was precisely what happened during the 1990s. With another change of rector, with new political pressures given focus by Sir Bernard Tomlinson’s shake-up of the hospitals, and not least, with a change of opinion at St Mary’s itself, the school did lose its name, its dean, and more besides’.