Programme
08.30 Arrival and registration
Chair: Jennie Winnard, Deputy Director of Leadership, Improvement and Culture
09.00 Welcome and introduction
Stacey Hunter, CEO & Rachael Metcalf, CPO, University Hospitals Tees
09.10 Creating an inclusive and fair organisation
Ajit Abraham, Group Director of Inclusion and Equity, Barts Health NHS Trust
09.50 The power of staff networks
Cherron Inko-Tariah MBE, CEO, The Power of Staff Networks ™
10.30 Mid-morning break, information stands and networking
11.00 Conscious un-bias: cultivating a mindset for equity and inclusion
Amira Taha, Strategic Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Manager for a local authority & International Social Development and EDI Consultant
11.40 State of mind
Danny Sculthorpe & Phil Veivers, Presenters, Ex Rugby Players, State of Mind
12.20 Harmonised culture and a humanised workforce
Mehvish Shaffi-Ajibola, Founder, Socially Inspired
13.00 Question and answers
Mark Dias, Group Non-Executive Director, University Hospitals Tees
13.15 Lunch, refreshments, information stands and networking
14.00 Health inequalities
Lord Victor Adebowale CBE, Chair, NHS Confederation
14.40 Panel discussion
Mark Dias, Group Non-Executive Director & Jennie Winnard, Deputy Director of Leadership, Improvement and Culture, University Hospitals Tees
15.30 Workshops (two x 30 minutes)
Educate to eradicate – humanity and cultivating cultural architecture
Ranjit Kirton, Workplace Behaviour Innovator, The Behaviour Garage Ltd
Women’s health inequalities in the workplace
Jacqui McBurnie, NENC ICB Menopause Lead, Founder and Former Chair of the NHS England Menopause Network
My personal transition journey
Katie Webster & Matt Harper, Staff Members, University Hospitals Tees
State of mind
Danny Sculthorpe & Phil Veivers, Presenters, Ex Rugby Players, State of Mind
16.35 Reflections and evaluations
Rachael Metcalf, CPO, University Hospitals Tees
16.45 Close
Mark Dias, Group Non-Executive Director, University Hospitals Tees
Derek Bell, Group Chair, University Hospitals Tees
Programme speakers
Ajit Abraham
Ajit Abraham is the Group Director for Inclusion and Equity on the Barts Health Group Executive Board. Ajit leads the Trust’s ambition as set out in the WeBelong Strategy. Ajit is also the current Undergraduate Dean for Barts Health and has been the co-chair for the Trust’s Inclusion Board since November 2020. Ajit joined Barts Health in 2005 as a consultant general, trauma and hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) surgeon at The Royal London. He has previously held various leadership roles, including chair of the Barts Health Surgery Board and Deputy Chief Medical Officer.
Cherron Inko-Tariah (MBE)
Cherron is a former civil servant and has undertaken leadership roles in various policy and strategic positions across Whitehall, including working with Ministers and Permanent Secretaries. In 2012, Cherron took a leap of faith and left the Civil Service to follow her passion, staff networks. After publishing her book (The Incredible Power of Staff Networks) Cherron founded The Power of Staff Networks consultancy where she provides a wide range of services. Cherron also founded the National Day for Staff Networks which takes place every May.
Amira Taha
Amira Taha is an International Development consultant and the Strategic EDI Manager for a local authority. With over 25 years of experience, Amira has worked with national and international organisations across the UK, the Middle East, and North Africa. As Chair of Unison North West Black Members Committee, a Non-Executive Director for Unlimited Potential, and co-founder of YourB, the first Sharia-compliant credit union in the UK, Amira has consistently addressed inequities throughout her career. Specialising in addressing racism, gender inequity, and advocating for under-represented groups, Amira is dedicated to creating inclusive environments where everyone can thrive.
Danny Sculthorpe
Danny played just under 300 professional rugby league games for Rochdale, Wigan, Castleford, Wakefield, Huddersfield, Bradford and Widness. Danny played 8 times for England, before a serious spine injury forced him into retirement, Danny suffered from depression quite badly after that and courageously came through the other side, Danny is now a presenter for the STATE OF MIND SPORT charity. He speaks to sports clubs, schools, colleges, universities and workplaces about the importance of looking after your mental health. Danny has recently qualified to deliver Mental Health First Aid training to organisations on behalf of State of Mind Sport.
Phil Veivers
Phil is an Australian ex Super League player with over 500 appearances in the top grade. He played for Souths in Australia and then to St Helens, Huddersfield, Swinton and represented Scotland in the UK. After coming to the end of his playing career he embarked on a coaching career. Through losing his job in management he felt like a failure and suffered badly with depression on top of losing a family member to mental health problems. Since suffering with these he has become a keynote speaker on mental health awareness with an aim to share the lessons he has learnt to help others.
Mehvish Shaffi-Ajibola
Mehvish is a distinguished and nationally recognised strategic leader in Human Relatedness and Organisational Development with extensive experience across various sectors. In 2021, Mehvish received national acclaim at the Health and Social Care Awards for her exceptional contributions to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion within the healthcare sector. Her expertise includes collaborating with various industries to help organisations navigate change and cultivate inclusive cultures through social mindfulness, conflict management, and restorative practices. Mehvish is the Founder of Socially Inspired Ltd.
Lord Victor Adebowale
Lord Victor Adebowale become chair of the NHS Confederation in April 2020. Before this, he was CEO of Turning Point, a social enterprise providing health and social care interventions to approximately 100,000 people on an annual basis. Victor is also chair of Social Enterprise UK, co-founder and chair of Visionable UK Ltd, and founding chair of Collaborative CIC. He is founder of Leadership in Mind and a non-executive director at the Co-Operative Group. Victor is the founding vice chair of the NHS Race and Health Observatory and has been since 2021. Victor has served for 6 years as a Non-Executive Director on the board of NHS England, commissioning several reports.
Ranjit Kirton
The Behaviour Garage Ltd is on a mission to eradicate psychological harm by behaviour at work, by altering the thinking and behaviour of humanity, to reprogramme us all to deliver and accept safe behaviours. Ranjit specialises in behaviour safety to eliminate bullying, harassment, racism, and discrimination from the workplace, having spent 28 years within our NHS, starting as a junior rising to senior leadership. Registered with the British Psychological Society, has a Master of Science in Psychology – specialising in workplace behaviours.
Jacqui McBurnie
Jacqui has worked nationally and regionally within NHS England as a Senior Programme Manager. Alongside this role Jacqui established (and chaired) the NHS Menopause Network to champion menopause awareness and support in the workplace. Jacqui produced the first NHSE Menopause Policy. Jacqui has made contributions at a strategic level, including the Health and Social Care Select Committee and the Royal College of Nursing and continues to press for change in both culture and recognition of the impact of menopause. Recently Jacqui commenced a new role across the Northeast North Cumbria (ICB) as the Menopause Lead.
Katie Webster & Matt Harper
Understanding and acceptance of gender dysphoria are essential for the well-being of affected individuals. Stigma and lack of support can exacerbate the distress and challenges they face. Comprehensive care and societal acceptance are critical to improving the quality of life for those with gender dysphoria.