Team Diversity

Vivek Khashu (Head of Well Led, UoR & Financial Governance Operational Productivity) at NHS Improvement shares a personal view on the value of team diversity. Follow Vivek on twitter @VivekKhashu 

The Emergency Care Intensive Support Team (ECIST) have been looking at how they can increase diversity in the team. Russell Emeny, the team’s director, recently wrote to all team members asking everyone to consciously think about greater engagement with all front line BME (black and minority ethnic) colleagues that work with us on improving their local urgent and emergency care pathways and processes e.g. by encouraging BME colleagues to shadow us on future visits. The aim, to encourage greater diversity amongst colleagues applying to join ECIST.

Russell wants BME colleagues to think, ‘I’d like to join ECIST, I’m qualified, I have the skills and I know I’d be very welcome’.

I wrote back to Russell to thank him for his ongoing effort in this important area, but to also let him know his aim was exactly how I felt back in 2012 when I first joined the team, the first member in the team from a BME background and the youngest at the age of 31.

Back in 2012 I was a directorate manager for emergency medicine at the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust. ECIST had recently formed, perhaps just ten or so colleagues, with two senior clinicians. We had a visit from the team to support us on emergency pathway development.  As somebody who was incredibly passionate about emergency care it was a real pleasure to meet other like-minded colleagues, the conversation flowed and so did the learning.

The opportunity arose to join the team via a secondment as I had the experience having managed emergency care for over three years across three hospitals. The team was incredibly warm and had the values which resonated with me and I wanted to continue learning in an area which I was and continue to be passionate about.

There was a huge amount of interest in roles with ECIST (which remains the case now). I remember going through the assessment day where I got to meet other team members who were all incredibly welcoming.

Thankfully I was successful and beyond elated to be offered the secondment opportunity.  The team had a variety of people with varying backgrounds, all more experienced than I was at the time. This was great, because I joined a team whom I could learn and develop with.  The development and learning was immense, I got to learn a whole new skill set including service improvement science, consultancy and exposure to boards, something you don’t always experience whilst working within a hospital.

My time with ECIST enabled me to progress further in my career (as it has many others), as I was able to talk to experiences and skills that others did not have.  Once you join ECIST you join a wider community of people who are passionate about urgent and emergency care. Though I moved on to different roles within the acute sector and now work back in NHS Improvement, 5 years later, I got back in touch with Russell to re-join the team to maintain my own skills and capability.  I now manage a national programme on behalf of NHS Improvement, but I did not want to get de-skilled in urgent and emergency care. ECIST (midlands and east team) were delighted to have me back a few days each month.

A personal view, but one I will share, as an NHS manager from a BME background. I do not agree with positive discrimination. It troubles me, what colleagues need is a level playing field and to be appointed on merit.  Positive discrimination in my view may well result in more colleagues from BME backgrounds securing jobs, but does it leave a legacy for them e.g. whether they were appointed because they were the best? Are there longer-term issues if we employ to achieve greater diversity by active inequality? Why should I or others like me have a competitive advantage beyond my work experience and values?

This is about knocking doors, asking the question and putting yourself forward, not waiting for somebody to come with the opportunity, but positively grasping it.  I would encourage anybody (from any ethnic background) who has a passion for urgent and emergency care to consider a role with ECIST. If you see ECIST colleagues in your hospital, stop them and talk, find out about what they are doing and what you might be able to learn from them.  It may not necessarily be a permanent career role, but the experiences and exposure you will get are unparalleled and certainly of future value, you won’t just be joining a team, but a wider community on a national foot print.

I may have been the first colleague from a BME background to join, I certainly haven’t been the last, great opportunities and a warm welcome await all colleagues who choose to knock the door.