Five Minutes With – A Senior EDI Lead - Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust

Equality, diversity and inclusion impacts us all at some point in our lives, it’s not just a nice to have.

In 1948 the NHS was born, providing ‘healthcare services that are free for all at the point of delivery’, irrespective of gender, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion, belief, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity or marital or civil partnership status.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion teams across the country work hard to ensure patients/ service users are treated fairly, equally and free from discrimination. In this Five Minutes With edition, we caught up with Manisha Panesar, Senior EDI Lead at Team BSMHFT to share with us the steps she and her team are taking to ensure we live up to our inclusivity pledge.

Hi Manisha, please could you tell us about your role at Team BSMHFT?

I work for the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) team. My role is Senior Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead and the areas I cover are Secure and Offender Health and Specialties. I also lead the health inequalities workstream within our Trust. Ultimately, my role is to reduce bullying, harassment, discrimination and racism for both our workforce and service users. I have been a part of the Trust for over two years now and prior to this role I was a part of the Participation and Experience team.

Before joining the BSMHFT, I worked as an Occupational Therapist for around seven years in mental health rehabilitation services.

Why did you decide to pursue a career in mental health specifically and what made you want to work within EDI?

I suppose I ‘fell’ into the mental health field while finishing my degree. I was keen to get straight into work and applied for the first position that the university sent us and got it! Since then, I’ve always been in the mental health field. It’s rewarding to see individuals get better with your input and be there to support them in their darkest times.

Throughout my clinical career, I was able to witness first-hand the challenges and inequalities that our service users faced. These were often due to a lack of knowledge or understanding, or often due to long standing barriers that mental health services experience. I have a passion for being innovative in providing culturally competent care and reducing inequalities, to ensure that those who access our services have a fair and equitable experience.

I also have a particular interest in reducing the stigma of individuals within the South Asian community, specifically around mental health support as it is often taboo or not addressed.

Why is EDI so important for the NHS?

Equality, diversity and inclusion impacts us all at some point in our lives, it’s not just a nice to have, but an opportunity for real change where we can have an NHS service that provides equal care for all.

I believe it’s the golden thread in everything we do, and if we get it right it improves the access, experience and outcomes we all have.

What are the biggest changes your team has made to the Trust during your appointment as Senior Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead?

Our team has expanded which has allowed us to have a broader reach and embed ourselves within our directorates. We have continued to challenge negative practices, provide opportunities for development and continued to initiate culture change within our organisation.

I’m proud that we have continued to be resilient as a team and we always strive to be better. We are also proud as a team to be a part of the development of the Anti-racist Framework, which we believe our Trust is well ahead in working towards becoming anti-racist with the development of this framework. We have been lucky to have presented the framework at national conferences, be nominated for awards and other trusts have reached out to us to learn more.

Since being in the role, it has been eye opening and an opportunity to learn more about myself – it’s a constant learning experience!

Past, present, or future, what three people would you most want to sit down for a meal with?

Past – both sets of grandparents. They all passed away when I was young or before I was born. I would love to know more about them, learn about their experiences in life and our family history.

Present and future – Vex King and Michelle Obama.

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