Hospital workers will come together this week to celebrate race diversity across the local health service.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust’s Black Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Staff Network will hold its annual conference this Friday, 21 May.

Of the Trust’s 10,500-strong workforce, there are some 1,410 BAME members of staff, more than half of whom hold positions within medical and dental services (714 people).

Keynote speakers at the conference, which will be held online for the first time this year, include workforce race equality standard (WRES) expert, Bo Escritt, lead pharmacist with Yorkshire Ambulance Service, Usha Kaushal, and Steve Russell, chief executive of NHS Nightingale (Yorkshire and the Humber) and of Harrogate & District NHS Foundation Trust.

The trust’s own Chief Executive, Chris Long, will also be providing his input into the conference, director of workforce Simon Nearney will be talking about the hospitals’ race equality programme, and delegates will be able to explore issues such as unconscious bias and equality of opportunity for career progression through a series of breakout sessions.

Mr Dumbor Ngaage, cardiothoracic surgeon and Chair of the BAME Staff Network says:

“The BAME Staff Network was originally set up as a forum for discussion, to highlight issues and unseen barriers for BAME staff within the trust and to support change and understanding going forward.

“In recent months and years, we have made good progress but there is always more we can do.

“This week’s conference is designed to celebrate our achievements of the past 12 months, but will also enable us to discuss issues and develop ideas to help us further instill the principles of equality and inclusion throughout our trust.”