NHS worker made OBE says poorer children need role models from same backgrounds
Dr Raghib Ali volunteered unpaid during the coronavirus pandemic.
Children from poorer socio-economic backgrounds should have “role models” with similar experiences, an honoured frontline NHS worker has said.
Dr Raghib Ali, consultant in acute medicine at Oxford University Hospitals, was made an OBE after taking leave from his university work to volunteer unpaid during the coronavirus pandemic.
At a briefing in central London on Tuesday he spoke of a “tough situation” growing up in the 1980s, because his father lost his job and eyesight, he relied on free school meals, but worked hard to eventually attend Cambridge University.
Asked for his reaction to the honour, he said “that kind of thing doesn’t really happen” to people from similar backgrounds.
Dr Ali told the PA news agency: “Growing up in relatively difficult circumstances financially, and not attending a very good school, I could never imagine not just going to university, becoming a doctor, but to receive an honour, I couldn’t really have thought that would ever happen as a child.
“I hope it’ll encourage children, young people today growing up, that whatever their circumstances it is possible to achieve at the highest level.
“The key is education, and having role models really, so growing up, there weren’t always those role models available, it was very rare for children on free school meals to go to university, to become professionals, become doctors.
“But now today, I hope children see that there are other people that have done that before them.
“And role models are important, aspiration is really important, because otherwise you feel that you can’t escape that kind of cycle of poverty and deprivation.”
It comes as a Government spokeswoman said the number of people from a poorer socio-economic background had gone up in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours list.
At the start of the pandemic in March 2020, Dr Ali ended the research he was doing and went to the frontline of the NHS to help.
The decision meant he could “give something back” to his community.
