Congratulations to all colleagues across the region who were nominated in our 2023 Midlands Inclusivity and Diversity Award Scheme (MIDAS). We received nearly 150 nominations and it was great to hear about the work taking place across the region to make the NHS an inclusive place for all.

The scheme is specifically designed to identify, spread and replicate the good work that is happening here in the Midlands across our health and social care sector. Take a look at our programme to find out more about our finalists, the work they are doing, and why they were nominated.

Outstanding Staff Network of the Year Award

Award goes to: Matt Clarson, Disability Network Lead at South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust

Award goes to: Jayne Evans, Chair of the Enable Staff Network at Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Finalist: International Shared Decision Making Council at Northampton General Hospital

Finalist: United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust Women’s Network (Sally Robinson and Claire Hall)

Best Ally of the Year Award

Award goes to: Tom Warner, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager at NHS England – Midlands

Finalist: Christy Botfield, Operational Lead at Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Finalist: Kirsty Harper, AHP International Recruitment Lead at Chesterfield Royal Hospital

EDI Champion of the Year Award

Award goes to: Zaynab Rauf, Speech and Language Therapist, Adult Speech and Language (South) at Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Award goes to: Laura Cowley, Network Co-ordinator at The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust

Finalist: Angela Stockwood, Lincolnshire System EDI Lead and Value our People Programme Manager, One Workforce Lincolnshire ICS People Hub Team

Finalist: Anamika Joshi, Equality and Engagement Manager at Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Excellence in Executive Inclusive Leadership of the Year Award

Award goes to: Shajeda Ahmed, Chief People Officer at NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board

Award goes to: Paul Draycott, Chief People Officer at North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust

Finalist: Richard Mitchell, Chief Executive at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group

Finalist: Clare Teeney, Chief People Officer at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group

Pauline Grant, Associate Director Organisational Development of North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust, collecting the award on behalf of Paul’s family

Inclusive ICS of the Year Award

Award goes to: The Black Country Integrated Care System (Healthier Futures)

Finalist: Lincolnshire Integrated Care System

Finalist: Integrated Care Northamptonshire EDI Workstream

Inclusive Recruitment and Talent Management of the Year Award

Award goes to: LLR Developing Diverse Leadership Team, Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board

Finalist: Langdale Care Homes Group – Elena Martin, Director of Operations and Commissioning

Finalist: Midlands Development Aspirant Leaders Programme, NHS England – Midlands

Changemaker of the Year Award

Award goes to: Subhrajit Das, Junior Director of Workplace Safety and Employee Development at Langdale Care Homes Group

Award goes to: Bina Kotecha, Deputy Chief Officer – Culture, OD and Inclusion at Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board

Finalist:  The EDI Team at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust

Finalist: Trish Tsuro, Research Nurse and Chair of RE&CH United against Discrimination Working Group at United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust

Unsung Star of the Year Award

Trudy Stringfellow (pictured left) collecting the award on Hailey’s behalf

Award goes to: Hailey Pottinger, Improvement Programme Lead at Chesterfield Royal Hospital

Award goes to: Alistair Weston, EDI Engagement Officer at Northampton General Hospital

Finalist: Maisun Elftise, EDI Lead – Training Hub, at Coventry and Warwickshire Training Hub

Finalist: Deborah Rich, Recruitment Administrator and Disability Staff Network Lead at North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare Trust

MIDAS Judges

Thank you to all our judges who volunteered their time and expertise to read through every single application to shortlist our finalists and select our winners. The criteria for each of our categories and what our judges were looking for can be viewed here.

• Clare Price-Dowd, Leadership and Management Review, Implementation Team – NHS England
• Anton Emanuel, Professor in Neuro-gastroenterology, University College London Hospitals
• Paul Deemer, Head of Diversity and Inclusion, NHS Employers
• Lyndsay Bunting, Head of Talent and Leadership, NHS England – Midlands
• Paul Vaughn, Deputy Director, Community and Primary Care Nursing – NHS England
• Matthew James, Head of OD and Staff Experience, North East and Yorkshire region – NHS England
• Cavita Chapman, Managing Director- Inclusive Leadership and Talent, Cavita Chapman Consultancy
• Roger Kline, Research Fellow, Middlesex University Business School