Inclusive Healthcare - A moment with Lisa-Kay Waite, our New Inclusion Patients Ambassador
Last month, we welcomed our new Inclusion Ambassador for patients and families to our Women’s and Children’sTrust. We caught up with Lisa-Kay about her new role in the Patient Experience team (PET) and the value of diversity and inclusion within patient experience.
Lisa-Kay shares that her main focus will be on race and disability inclusion within the Trust, to bridge the gaps to continue making strides towards a more diverse and inclusive environment and ensuring we are thoughtful and welcoming to all communities and families.
Lisa-Kay said: “Working with young people and children is where my passion lies as well as supporting women throughout their healthcare journeys.”
Before joining us, Lisa-Kay worked as a residential children’s social care manager for eight years, working with children with different abilities and educational needs. Lisa-Kay also established an inclusion and diversity group set on supporting positive policy changes, providing training and education to strengthen knowledge for people within the community.
Staff training and education were a large part of her role within her diversity and inclusion group to keep organisations updated on the best practice and latest legislation and knowledge to keep expanding, progressing, and improving.
Born and raised in Birmingham, , Lisa-Kay shares how her lived experience in both her professional and personal life have helped her to empathise with those whom she supports and communicates with daily.
She said: “I am proud to bring my own personal experience into this role – my identity has helped me to empathise.
“Having to bring a sick child into the hospital is already hard to do – people do not need any other emotional or worries on top of this. It’s really important that we see patients as people, this makes our care safer for everyone
“The inclusion ambassador’s role is to take conscious steps to ensure that healthcare and treatment are consistent and fair for everyone. This makes us safer, together.
Raffaela Goodby, our Chief People Officer said: “We’re really pleased to welcome Lisa-Kay to our BWC family and progressing the work of the Inclusion and Diversity Committee, to be safer, together. We want our patients and colleagues to feel safe to raise concerns, know about our Stop Challenge, Change Tool and help create an environment that is welcoming for all our patients and their families.
We’d like to say a big ‘thank you’ to Lisa-Kay Waite for taking the time to talk about her new role with us and shed light on an important element within our Trust’s patient experience.