Ethnic minority leaders celebrated by health chiefs in Shropshire
The success of graduates of a Shropshire ethnic minority leadership programme has been celebrated by health chiefs.
The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) and Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust jointly run a scheme called Galvanise which supports employees to make progress as leaders.
Jo Williams, the chief executive of SaTH, told a recent meeting that 18 graduates from teams including nursing, therapies, and corporate have graduated from the programme.
She told a board meeting earlier this month that to date 46 per cent of participants have gained a promotion since taking part in the course and a further 30 per cent are actively seeking promotion.
“It was fantastic to celebrate our 2025 Galvanise cohort and see their energy and enthusiasm to lead change in their areas, to build a culture where everyone has a voice and feels they belong,” she said.
The programme also provides the two trusts with an "opportunity to learn about cultures and backgrounds and ensure that ethnic minority colleagues have a space to come together and share their challenges and opportunities".
Rhia Boyode, the chief people officer at SaTH and Shropcom, is one of the few black and ethnic minority faces on the board of directors.
Ms Williams thanked her colleague who “dedicates much energy and commitment to the programme to ensure that our colleagues from ethnic backgrounds have the resources and support network to reach their potential.”
Dr Victoria Walton, a former junior doctor at SaTH, created Galvanise after seeing medical staff being discriminated against because of the colour of their skin, whilst they are trying to deliver care and compassion.
She wanted to empower those individuals and to ensure that they were supported and awareness was raised.
In May this year the Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care System launched an ‘Everyone Belongs Here’ campaign to 'champion respect, dignity and fairness'.
Last year, following the murders of three young girls in Southport, health leaders in Shropshire spoke of a “flare-up of racism” against people of different ethnicities, including health and care professionals.
They issued a call to residents that they “will not tolerate any harassment or abuse of our staff.”
