Black History Month 2020

September 30, 2020

Thursday 1 October marks the start of Black History Month when we honour people of African and Caribbean descent who have and continue to shape the history of our country and that of the NHS. Black people make a rich contribution, and a huge impact on our national and cultural life enriching communities all over the UK as business leaders, teachers, musicians, nurses, doctors and much more.

In an unprecedented year that has seen many heroic effects by colleagues across our organisation tirelessly to fight COVID-19, we have chosen Mary Seacole as our figurehead in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, conscious of the many colleagues drawn from different traditions, faiths, and communities.

In 1991, Mary Seacole was awarded the Jamaican Order of Merit and in 2004 was voted the greatest ever Black Briton. Mary was an exemplary nurse who worked to tend to the sick in the Crimean War.

There is much more work to do to ensure everyone in our workplace has the opportunity to succeed and make their unique contribution,  regardless of their background or skin colour. This is something that has come to the forefront with the Black Lives Matters movement.

Following the BME Staff network meeting in the summer work is proceeding to work up a plan to ensure our workplace is fair and equal for all of us.

And this Black History Month we are also recognising national Speak up Month. Take your opportunity to have your say through the NHS Staff Survey or by approaching staff network leads or Freedom to Speak up Guardians. There are many ways to speak up which you can find on Connect or in August and September’s Heartbeat.