UHNM nurses awarded prestigious national anti-racism award

Two nurses from University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) have been awarded a prestigious national anti-racism award by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Foundation. 

Jokotade Adeshina, a Quality Nurse on the Frail Elderly Assessment Unit (FEAU) at the Royal Stoke University Hospital, and Tenifayo Adeyemo, a Haematology Senior Research Practitioner in UHNM’s Research and Innovation Department, have won the Michelle Cox RCN Foundation Anti-Racism Award.

The award recognises their project, ‘Advancing Equality in Nursing: A Continuous Monitoring and Evaluation Initiative’, which looks to promote and ensure equal and inclusive career progression and workplace diversity within NHS nursing and midwifery.   

Jokotade and Tenifayo will now work with the RCN Foundation on their project over the next 18 months. 

Jokotade said: “The project aims to address the inequalities in career progression for Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) nurses and midwives within the NHS. Despite their significant contributions to healthcare, BAME nurses and midwives often face barriers that hinder their career advancement, leading to a lack of diversity in leadership roles. This project is crucial for identifying these challenges through ongoing monitoring and evaluation, ensuring that tailored interventions can be developed to support equal career development.

“By addressing these issues, we hope to create a more inclusive healthcare workforce, improving both the professional experiences of BAME staff and the quality of care delivered to patients from all backgrounds.”

Launched in 2023 in partnership with Michelle Cox, an anti-racism advocate and NHS nurse with 30 years’ experience, the Michelle Cox RCN Foundation Anti-Racism Award recognises and celebrates efforts to combat racism within the healthcare sector through funding a nurse or midwifery led project. 

Tenifayo said: “We will monitor workplace incidents and trends within the NHS in the hope of identifying instances of racism and unconscious bias. The project will also promote inclusive policies and create a safe platform where nurses feel empowered to report incidents and share experiences and concerns without fear of retaliation.”

Ann-Marie Riley, UHNM Chief Nurse, said: “I am incredibly proud of Jokotade and Tenifayo for winning this prestigious national award for their hard work in helping to tackle inequality and promote diversity within the nursing and midwifery professions, and look forward to hearing the progress of their project.”   

Deepa Korea, RCN Foundation Director, said: “We are honoured to work in partnership with Michelle and UHNM and are confident this project will make tangible systemic change in the NHS and beyond, assisting to move this agenda forward.”