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Some of the nation’s most exceptional BME leaders in health and social care were honoured at the Afiya Awards 2011 in London on March 31.
The glitzy event was held at City Hall, London and celebrated the ‘crème de la crème’ of pioneers who have made a huge impact in the fields of their work.
Eastenders star Nina Wadia, gushed cheerfully as she accepted the Celebrity Champion Award for her charity work in Asian communities. She said: “This award actually means more to me than any other that I have picked up or might pick up.”
She explained that she began her charity work because of her mother. “Without a transplant and the care of staff, I wouldn’t have had eight more years with her. I want to do work where people [who are unwell] are able to get an extension on their lives to spend more time with their families”, she continued.
There were 17 awards given out at the inaugural awards to outstanding individuals in 13 categories including Future Generation Leader Award, Health and Social Care Leadership Award, Service User Leadership Award, the Big Society Award and Celebrity Champion Award.
The event was hosted by BBC broadcaster Nikki Bedi, with guest presenters including politicians, academics, newspaper editors and celebrities. Some such as Jennette Arnold OBE, Labour Assembly Member for North East London, Rt Hon Keith Vaz MBE, Chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, TV presenter and academic Dr Robert Beckford, Steve Pope, Editor of The Voice, and comedian, cancer survivor and presenter of BBC Radio London’s Drivetime Show Eddie Nestor.
Ashley Thomas, an associate at Workplace Programmes, received a joint award alongside Halima Khan for the Future Generation category. He was “delighted” that there was finally an awards ceremony which celebrates the efforts of BME people in the health field.
Mr Thomas said: “I'm so pleased to have been recognised by Afiya. I was delighted to be nominated by the Professional Head of Equality and Human Rights at Sussex Partnerships NHS Trust, as I consider Scott Durairaj personally a great BME gay role model within the health sector. My entire family works or has worked in the NHS and I'm proud of the major contribution BME people make to delivering first class health services.”
Halima Khan, a schools officer for the Rugby Football League, was “shocked” to find out that her colleagues had nominated her for an award.
She said: “Having been given the award and title of future generation leader, I want to live up to that to a certain extent and make an impact in BME communities.”
During the ceremony audiences were treated to outstanding performances from musicians Ciyo and Michelle Thompson, and exquisite traditional dances from Dhruti Dattani and Falguni Upadhyaya.
The closing award, entitled the Lord Chan Lifetime Achievement Award, was awarded to Peter Scott Blackman, former chief executive of the Afiya Trust. Mr Blackman, unable to attend the event for health reasons, was filmed with a touching look at his work and activism. Hi son, Rory, accepted the award on his behalf.
Patrick Vernon, chief executive of the Afiya Trust, said: “This is the first time since the creation of the NHS that there has been a dedicated awards ceremony which truly recognises our contribution to the delivery of health and social care in Britain. Despite all the changes taking in place in the restructuring of health and social care, which will potentially have a disproportionate impact on BME communities, we still need to strive and move forward.”
The award winners:
HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE LEADERSHIP AWARD
Maggie Owolade
Area Manager for London, Alzheimer’s Society
BME HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE TEAM AWARD
ASPIRE BME staff equality network, the South East Coast Ambulance NHS Trust (SECAmb)
SERVICE USER LEADERSHIP AWARD
Caroline Nelson
Director of Choice in Hackney, a user-led organisation
CARER LEADERSHIP AWARD
Richard West
Chair of the National Advisory Group on Learning Disability and Ethnicity
ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP AWARD
Dr Qadir Bakhsh MBE
BME-LED ORGANISATION OF THE YEAR
Association for Prostate Awareness
BME NETWORK CHAMPION
Ruby Poppleton
Health Improvement Specialist, NHS Stockton-on-Tees
FUNDRAISER OF THE YEAR
Beverley De-Gale
Co-founder, The African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust (ACLT)
FUTURE GENERATION LEADER AWARD
(Joint winners)
Halima Khan
Schools Officer for the Rugby Football League
Ashley Thomas
Associate, Workplace Programmes, Stonewall
AGAINST ALL ODDS AWARD (PRIDE OF AFIYA)
(Joint Winners)
Donna Akuffo
Community advocate, health and social care graduate and living with Lupus.
Richard West
Is deaf with a learning disability and Chair of the National Advisory Group on Learning Disability and Ethnicity.
Shamima Essat
A Muslim woman with a learning disability and Support Assistant at Valuing People, Leicester City Council.
CELEBRITY CHAMPION AWARD
(Joint Winners)
Lenny Henry
Actor, comedian and Comic Relief Co-founder
Nina Wadia
Actress, comedian and Ambassador for the British Asian Trust
BIG SOCIETY AWARD
The National BME Carers Panel
LORD CHAN LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Peter Scott Blackman OBE
Former chief executive officer of the Afiya Trust
The Afiya Awards aims to act as a catalyst to encourage the next generation of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) leaders in health and social care. They will also recognise the achievements of academics, clinicians, social care staff, the voluntary and community sector, and service users and carers who have played an important part in the creation and development of the NHS and social care over the last 50 years.
This innovative programme, will champion and promote the important contribution made by BME professionals working in health and social care, culminating in a celebratory awards event at City Hall in London on the evening of Thursday 31 March 2011. Many will be unsung heroes of their communities who are committed to engaging with groups and individuals who have not always been consulted about their health and wellbeing, whilst others will be leaders in their field who have not yet been recognised for the valuable contribution they have made to their sector.
The launch publication will profile the shortlisted candidates and the winners and contain articles chronicling the role BME professionals have played in health, social care, academia and the voluntary and community sector.
Alongside the publication will be a leadership master class held before the award ceremony itself as well as seminars throughout the year on the leadership opportunities for working in health and social care.
Although there have been similar initiatives such as the Black Power List, these awards will be the first of their kind celebrating the contribution predominantly made by those from minority ethnic communities cross sector.
There are 11 categories covering contributions from individuals and organisations:
1. Health and Social Care Leadership Award
In recognition of a team or individual working in the public, private and voluntary sector
- Nominees need to demonstrate examples of leadership in their work or a particular project which has improved the health and/or social care needs of the communities they are serving.
- Judges are looking for an individual/team/organisation that has been instrumental in leading the way in their work and has inspired or motivated others to develop their own leadership skills.
2. Service User Leadership
A Service user or patient who has excelled in addressing important issues around health and social care.
- Nominees should demonstrate how they have raised and addressed important issues around health and social care. These may include running awareness sessions, lobbying health care providers/local MPs or councillors as well as promoting these issues in different forums including LINks and/or community interest groups and the local/national media.
- Judges are looking for an individual or group of service users who have shown commitment in improving not only their health and well being but that of others through raising awareness of issues pertinent to black and minority ethnic communities around health and social care.
3. Carer Leadership
A carer who has excelled in addressing important issues around health and social care.
- Nominees need to demonstrate how they have raised important issues around health and social care. These may include raising awareness of health care needs of their local community, raising awareness of carer needs or specific cultural/diversity needs of carers, lobbying health care providers/local MPs or councillors as well as promoting these issues in different forums including LINks and/or community interest groups and the local/national media.
- Judges are looking for an individual or group of carers who have shown commitment in raising awareness of the needs of carers.
4. Academic Leadership
For outstanding research which has added value to the health and social care needs of Black and Minority Ethnic communities.
- Nominees need to demonstrate how their chosen area of research has added/will add value to the health and social care needs of Black and Minority Ethnic communities. The research must have been undertaken in the year 2008-2010 and either be ongoing with interim outcomes or be completed by March 2011.
- Judges are looking relevance in terms of the long-term implications of the research proposal and the likelihood of success/implementation. They will also be looking at the relevance in terms of the clinical, public health and social care needs and outcomes of people from Black and Minority Ethnic communities.
5. Black and Minority Ethnic led organisation of the Year
For a Black and Minority Ethnic organisation which has delivered against the odds for their community.
- Nominees need to demonstrate how their organisation has delivered services/information or assistance to their community and how they have overcome challenge in order to do this.
- Judges will be looking for an organisation (this does not have to be a registered charity) or community group that has understood the needs of their local community and drawn on their commitment and leadership to actively engage with people.
6. Black and Minority Ethnic Network Champion
In recognition of a Black and Minority Ethnic workers staff group or network, in the voluntary, statutory, private sector or part of a trade union/professional body that has successfully promoted the needs and aspirations of staff.
- Nominees need to demonstrate how they have successfully promoted the needs and aspirations of staff. This could highlight work around mentoring, training needs, or through providing support on personal development.
- Judges will be looking for individuals or networks that have recognised talent and ambition in staff and have worked towards supporting staff members to achieve their career goals and objectives.
7. Fundraiser of the Year
In recognition of an individual who has raised money through events and activities that have led to the advancement of health and social care issues for Black and Minority Ethnic communities.
- Nominees need to demonstrate fundraising activities contributing to the sustainability and advancement of health and social care issues for Black and Minority Ethnic communities.
- Judges will be looking for innovative fundraising initiatives as well as commitment to raising the profile of Black and Minority Ethnic health and social care issues. They will also be looking for how money raised has been spent to this effect.
8. Future Generation Leader
In recognition of an individual under 30 who already has a track record which points to a promising and successful future career in health and social care
- Nominees need to demonstrate how they have successfully worked on health and/or social care projects. These could include setting up or leading on health forums/initiatives for young people to promote health and well being. It could also include raising awareness of issues affecting local communities. Evidence of this success could include news/online articles or reports on work/initiatives carried out.
- Judges will be looking for an individual under the age of 30 from a BME background who has shown leadership and innovation potential and who has successfully highlighted health and social care issues inspiring others to make a difference.
9. Against All Odds (Pride of Afiya Trust)
In recognition of an individual who either as result of a long term condition or disability has successfully maintained the quality of their life and has also given back to society.
- Nominees should tell their story of overcoming adversity and how they feel they have given back to their local communities. This could be through successfully highlighting and addressing important issues affecting the health and well being of local communities, or being the ‘voice’ of local communities through patient/community organisations
- Judges will be looking for stories of inspiration and overcoming personal challenge to help others.
10. Celebrity Champion
A celebrity or media personality who has successfully raised the profile of a health and/or social care issue which has a major impact on Black and Minority Ethnic communities or who has championed a Black and Minority Ethnic-led community organisation
11. The Lord Chan Life Time Achievement Award (selection only by trustees and staff of Afiya Trust)
The late Lord Chan had a number of high profile roles including Liverpool University’s professor of ethnic health, long-serving lecturer and Consultant at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and former chairman of The Afiya Trust. A dedicated defender of all minorities, he worked tirelessly towards championing equality of access for people from ethnic minorities. He was the first member of the Chinese community to become a Peer. The Lord Chan award is recognition for an individual who has made a difference in one or more of the following categories:
- research
- policy development
- service delivery and
- campaigning
For full details on the awards please download the guidelines below
Download
For further information or any queries, please contact
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