Mary O’Brien MB BS FRCS MPhil FRCS (Plast)
As the only female plastic surgeon with both private and NHS practices based in Derby, Miss O’Brien is uniquely placed to offer expert advice and support to patients considering hand surgery, plastic surgery (reconstructive and cosmetic), non-surgical and minimally invasive treatments.
Mary O’Brien offers consultations and treatments at the superb facilities of Derby Private Health within the Royal Derby Hospital.
Hand surgery expertise
The Pulvertaft Hand Centre, Derby, is an internationally recognised centre of excellence in the treatment of hand and upper limb conditions. Following extensive training in plastic surgery, Mary O’Brien completed a hand surgery fellowship at The Pulvertaft Hand Centre in 2008. She was subsequently appointed as a Consultant Plastic and Hand Surgeon.
Mary O’Brien treats patients with a wide range of hand conditions, both longstanding conditions and conditions resulting from injuries. She has experience in the treatment of high level professional athletes. In addition to her surgical practice she regularly undertakes medicolegal personal injury reports as an expert witness.
Plastic surgery (reconstructive and cosmetic) expertise
It can be difficult to be sure that clinics and individuals offering cosmetic surgery are true experts in the field. Some providers use the term “Cosmetic Practitioner” without any specific training. Mary O’Brien has wide-ranging experience and training in all aspects of plastic and reconstructive surgery. She is a Past President and was the first female President of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS). Read the interview in Aesthetic Medicine.
Her specialist registration with the General Medical Council is in Plastic Surgery. She is widely published in her field including her book Plastic & Hand Surgery – Classifications and Definitions in Clinical Practice. She has been involved for some years in research and teaching at a national and international level.
This has included extensive travel across Europe and to Australasia to speak at international surgical conferences.
Specialist training
Mary O’Brien started her plastic surgery training in Bristol before working at the Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead, famous for its pioneering treatment of injured pilots from the Battle of Britain during World War II.
Mary O’Brien completed her Higher Specialist Training in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in the West Midlands where she was involved in the treatment and rehabilitation of soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Mary O’Brien has a degree in Medical Law & Ethics from Glasgow University where her dissertation addressed the issue of ethical plastic and cosmetic surgery.
Present appointments
Mary O’Brien is based at the internationally renowned Pulvertaft Hand Centre within the Royal Derby Hospital. In addition to her NHS practice she offers private consultations for hand surgery, plastic surgery (cosmetic and reconstructive), skin lesions, non-surgical and minimally invasive treatments by appointment. Her private practice is based at Derby Private Health within the Royal Derby Hospital. Private consultations are available on Monday afternoons and all day Tuesday.
Current memberships
- The Royal College of Surgeons of England
- BAAPS (British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons)
- BAPRAS (British Association of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons)
- BSSH (British Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- Derby Medical Society
Events and cosmetic evenings
Look out for Mary O’Brien’s Hand Surgery and Cosmetic Surgery events at the Royal Derby Hospital. These offer an informal introduction to the possibilities of plastic, hand and cosmetic surgery and are both free and entirely without obligation.
If you would like to receive advance notice of her Information Events please use the contact form on this page or send us an email at mary@plasticandhandsurgery.co.uk
Mary O’Brien is ideally placed to offer expert advice on the benefits and risks of plastic surgery and recognises that some women considering surgery may find it easier to talk to a female surgeon. Mary O’Brien is fully aware that any choice about cosmetic surgery is a very personal decision and is always ready to discuss the aspects of any procedure in detail with individual patients.