Annie McIntosh

Annie Sophia Jane McIntosh CBE, RRC (21 April 1871 – 20 September 1951) was a British nurse and nursing leader. She was a Matron of St Bartholomew's Hospital, London (1910–1927), promoted the fledgling College of Nursing Ltd (now the Royal College of Nursing), and served on several wartime committees.

Nursing career Before McIntosh commenced nurse training at The London Hospital in March 1897, she worked as a governess and nursed at Borough Hospital, Birkenhead for two years. She was popular with both patients and staff and she was awarded 1st Prize in her final end of training examination. For the final six months of her training McIntosh worked as an assistant sister in the matron's office. This was where she worked for the rest of her career at The London Hospital. In 1905, she became Assistant Matron and later Chief Assistant Matron to Eva Luckes. In 1913, during the ongoing debate about nurse registration, and the need for it, McIntosh was said to have banned a meeting in the hospital to discuss the legalization of Nurse Registration for trained nurses. Ethel Gordon Fenwick—a former matron of St Bartholomew's Hospital—was a leading supporter for centralised state registration for nurses.

However, the House Committee, Treasurer and Almoner prevented the meeting as they did not wish to influence the decision of their staff. In 1916, McIntosh was co-opted onto the council of the newly formed College of Nursing Ltd. McIntosh worked for six years on the College of Nursing Council on both its provisional and elected councils. During World War I, McIntosh was also Principal Matron of the First London General hospital, Camberwell.

She also served on a number of committees, including: The advisory board of Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service The Prison Commissioners Advisory Nursing Board The Joint Voluntary Aid Detachment and United Services Committee Vice-chairman of the Nurses Insurance Society The Royal National Pension Fund for Nurses Benevolent Committee The Association of Hospital Matrons Executive Vice President of St Bartholomew's Hospital League of Nurses (1923–1925) President, St Bartholomew's Hospital League of Nurses (1925–1927)

Honours In 1917, McIntosh received the Royal Red Cross. In 1924, she was the recipient of the French Medaille d’Honneur (argent).

Death McIntosh died in Bexhill of pneumonia and osteoporosis on 20 September 1951, aged 80. Her office papers and correspondence from 1910 to 1927 are held by Barts Health Archives and Museum.