Our staff marked South Asian Heritage Month (18 July to 17 August) by coming together to celebrate and share their own stories. This year’s theme was Roots to Routes which honours the journeys and experiences that have shaped South Asian identities across generations.

Throughout the month, we hosted ‘Chai and Chat’ sessions at King George and Queen’s hospitals where staff enjoyed light refreshments and chai tea, and got to talk to each other and share their experiences.

Ruby Knowles, co-chair of our REACH network, said:

These were a great opportunity to celebrate the contribution of our South Asian staff.

During the month, our EDI team and Ruby were joined by Kumal Rajpaul, our Director of Nursing for Corporate Nursing who visited wards and departments at Queen’s Hospital. They spoke to colleagues, including some internationally educated nurses from Kerala in India, and learned about their history and background.

Kumal said:

Staff from South Asian backgrounds play a vital role in the compassionate care we provide to patients, from frontline care to pioneering research. This month is an opportunity to reflect, celebrate and amplify the voices and stories that make our workforce so beautifully diverse.

Kumal and Ruby were joined on the walkaround by Head of Nursing for Geriatrics Lizzy Swamy, Associate Director for Infection and Prevention Control Kamal Sehmbey and Surgical Matron Kuldip Chagger.

We also hosted a stall outside Queen’s Hospital, recruiting people for a research study to improve healthcare in South Asian communities.