Derbyshire High Sheriff meets #TeamUHDB colleagues on Royal Derby Hospital visit
UHDB was honoured to recently invite the High Sheriff of Derbyshire, Theresa Peltier, to Royal Derby Hospital - as part of a visit to a number of our teams and departments where action is being taken to address health inequalities, and promote a culture of openness, diversity, and inclusion.
Theresa became the first black High Sheriff of the county earlier this year, after stepping down as the Head of Equality for Derbyshire Police in December 2019 following 27 years working in policing. In this role, she was part of numerous strategic governance boards, and represented the force on a national platform.
As part of her ongoing theme for the year, 'Unity is Community', Theresa's aim is to gain insight into areas across Derbyshire where changes have been implemented to improve service delivery for marginalised groups.
The Lead of our Age Positive Staff Network, Evan Blackwood-Pitter, is a personal friend of Theresa, and made contact with her to explore a visit after learning of this theme. Following this, in collaboration with Harinder Dhaliwal - our Assistant Director for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) - and our EMBRACE Staff Network, we organised several department visits for Theresa to reflect this theme.
During her visit, Theresa had the opportunity to meet with our Chief Executive, Stephen Posey, and engage in discussions surrounding the role of Staff Networks and the impact they have had on colleagues since their launch. Notable networks include the EMBRACE Staff Network, PRIDE Staff Network, the Age Positive Staff Network, the ThisAbility and Long Term Conditions Staff Network, and more.
Theresa also met with colleagues from UHDB's Tobacco Dependency Treatment (TDT) Programme, where she had the chance to interact with a patient undergoing treatment for a heart condition, supported through TDT to overcome their tobacco addiction. The team further highlighted how their work has benefitted pregnant individuals and their partners, as well as the wider community by aiding individuals in quitting smoking.
One of the focal points of the visit was a meeting with Clinical Educators responsible for supporting UHDB's international Nurses and Midwives, Lindy Garrucho and Simon Gibson. Theresa witnessed firsthand the training and support provided to internationally educated colleagues at UHDB. This holistic approach encompasses the challenges of adapting to a new country with different cultures and languages. 
Theresa also met with UHDB's Lead Midwife, Claire Brackenbury, and a midwife from the Juno team, Emily Holmes. The Juno team focuses on supporting pregnant women and their partners who may face language barriers, or come from deprived backgrounds.
Lastly, Theresa had a meeting with the Library team, which showcased the diverse support they offer to a range of UHDB staff. The team plays a crucial role in educating and supporting various colleagues and initiatives that promote EDI, including events like Black History Month.
This was a really enriching experience for everyone involved, including Theresa: who said that the 'passion, warmth and authenticity' of the 'amazing people' she met demonstrated the value we all place in fostering a culture of openness, equality, and unity here at UHDB.
Her visit to UHDB provided a valuable opportunity to witness the positive changes and improvements made to service delivery for marginalised groups. UHDB remains committed to fostering unity within the community and ensuring that all staff and patients feel supported and included.
As an organisation, it's incredibly important that we work with important figures such as the High Sheriff to support our ongoing work to address and reduce inequality. Whether it is in the workplace, or in the health outcomes for those we provide care for, reaching out to key figures in the community can help us to share learning, demonstrate what we do so well, and discuss how the things we can do to always strive for better.
We send our many thanks to both the High Sheriff, as well as all of our #TeamUHDB colleagues who supported such a memorable visit to our Trust.