Anti-Racist Initiative of the Year Award at the Black History Month Gala Awards 2025
We are honoured our Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage (REACH) Quality Improvement project has been shortlisted for the Anti- Racist Initiative of the Year Award at the Black History Month Gala Awards 2025.
This is a significant achievement and a reflection of the team’s dedication, impact, and excellence within the Black healthcare community.
Hosted by the Caribbean & African Health Network (CAHN), the Black History Month Gala Awards is a prestigious annual celebration, honouring Black champions and their outstanding contributions across the healthcare sector, with a focus on Greater Manchester.
The awards shine a spotlight on individuals and teams who are making a real difference through leadership, empowerment, innovation, and advocacy.
The awards celebration will take place on Saturday 11th October at the Concorde Conference Centre in Manchester and we have our fingers crossed for our team!
Sharing this achievement in October when we celebrate Black History Month is poignant as we are proud of the contributions black staff have made to the past and present of the NHS and want to encourage and support the leaders of the future.
There are countless examples of pioneers and trailblazers in the NHS, and there are a range of examples from GMMH:
- Carla Mobear, Perinatal Service Manager with the Specialist Perinatal Service, and Charles Tega Akporotu, Occupational Therapy Assistant within our Adult Forensic Services, were shortlisted for the Black Healthcare Awards, hosted by the Caribbean & African Health Network (CAHN).
- As well as the shortlist for the Anti- Racist Initiative of the Year Award, GMMH has been internationally recognised, winning the Johnathan MacLennan Award for our Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage (REACH) Quality improvement project. This initiative is pioneering anti-racism through Quality Improvement, tackling daily racial abuse in clinical settings, implementing sanctions against perpetrators, and fostering safe spaces and active bystander training for staff.
Our current NHS workforce is more diverse than at any point in its history. Black colleagues make up 8.5% of our workforce, 6.1% of doctors, dentists and consultants, and 11.8% of our nurses, midwives and health visitors. There is a significant need for more organ donors of Black heritage to help the growing number of Black patients waiting for life-saving transplants. To be an organ donor when you die, the best thing to do is to confirm your name and decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register.
As sickle cell disorder is more common in Black people, there’s a real need for blood types that are more common in people of Black heritage. Most people can give blood if they’re in good general health. Find out more and become a blood donor via the NHS Give Blood app or at www.blood.co.uk
In the UK people of south Asian and Black African or African Caribbean background have an increased risk of getting cardiovascular disease (CVD). Please visit NHS.uk to learn how you can reduce your risk. They are also more at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Use the Know Your Risk tool from Diabetes UK to find out your risk and get advice about the next steps.
For those who already have type 2 diabetes, Healthy Living is an online programme clinically proven to help participants live well with the condition. Adopting a healthy lifestyle and managing your type 2 diabetes can help you avoid complications such as heart disease, and stroke. Sign up today at Healthy Living for people with type 2 diabetes – NHS.
