Race Equality webinar, held on 10 December 2024.

Chair

Sim Scavazza – non-executive director, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust

Speakers

Rushownara Miah - head of business intelligence, Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust and member of Shuri Network

Selina Douglas - chief executive, Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust

Richard Mitchell - chief executive, University of Leicester NHS Foundation Trust and University of Northamptonshire Group

In this webinar, we explored the following topics:

• Enabling conversations about race to foster a hearts and minds change.
• The unique offer provided by the Shuri Network which aims to support and identify future digital leaders in health and care who represent the diversity of their workforce and population.
• The experience of ethnic minority leaders in role modelling and supporting others to achieve and progress whilst also navigating systemic inequalities themselves.
• The role of trust leaders as active white allies, with a focus on sponsoring diverse talent pipelines.

Listen back to

Hear Rushownara Miah discuss the role of the Shuri Network in creating a talent pipeline for ethnic minority women in digital, and the network’s motto and commitment to ‘lifting as you climb’. Rushownara calls for leaders to champion initiatives that create safe spaces for honest conversations about race, emphasising the importance of moving from words to action.

Hear Selena Douglas explore the challenges and responsibilities of being an ethnic minority trust leader, emphasising the need to mentor and champion diverse talent. Selena highlighted the role of allies in sharing the responsibility for change, reducing the double burden on ethnic minority individuals and the need to embed a focus on diversity and inclusion and race equality through all organisational strategies, moving beyond isolated initiatives.

Hear Richard Mitchell share his journey as a white ally, acknowledging his own privilege and the ongoing work required to lead inclusively. Richard detailed practical actions taken at his organisation, including introducing targeted recruitment measures, launching inclusive training programmes, and increasing the diversity of senior medical leaders.

Listen to the panel Q&A, where delegates ask the following questions

• What work have you done with the board to ensure there is alignment and consciousness around inclusion?
• How have leaders dealt with colleagues that are not aligned to the new ways of thinking and have 'advantage blindness'?
• How have organisations doubled the engagement with the staff survey over the period of two to three years?
• Where have you successfully addressed the incidents of ethnic minority colleagues who have been disproportionately impacted by formal disciplinary processes?

Additional resources

• Download the event slides
• Discover more about the Shuri Network