Racial diversity in senior roles: how to reach your leadership potential
Internship, mentoring and career development opportunities available for black, Asian and minority ethnic staff
When Jessica Higson took up her post as director of nursing at Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust in April 2020, she was keen to do something to address the lack of diversity at senior management level.
‘In healthcare, structural racism can be hidden and is difficult to articulate and challenge,’ she says. ‘People from a black, Asian or minority ethnic background don’t progress as easily to senior management positions, particularly in nursing and midwifery. I wanted to be proactive and help.’
Gaining experience at the next level of leadership
Her idea was to create an internship to support staff from racially diverse backgrounds