Key Equality and Diversity contacts
Professor Stephani Hatch is the Vice Dean for Culture, Diversity & Inclusion at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience.
Dr Mariana Pinto da Costa (pictured below) is our NIHR Maudsley BRC Champion for Culture, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, and was appointed in Spring 2023.
Our BRC themes and core groups also each have a representative. Visit our Theme representatives web page.
Our partner Diversity, Equality and inclusion web pages
For further information from the IoPPN, please visit: Diversity and inclusion webpages: kcl.ac.uk/ioppn/diversity-inclusion/index.aspx
The principles of equality, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of IoPPN's culture. We are committed to continuing to discuss, implement, promote and monitor strategies aimed at improving the working environment for all our staff and students.
The IoPPN's Diversity and Inclusion Team comprises a Core Team, Champions, and department and area representatives who work closely with our IoPPN based D&I Working Groups and Networks. The work of the D&I Team applies an intersectional perspective to extend across all nine protected characteristics (age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation).
For South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, please visit: https://slam.nhs.uk/equality
South London and Maudsley are committed to treating people fairly with compassion, respect and dignity and in promoting equality and human rights as a provider of mental health services and as an employer.
NIHR equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) strategy
The NIHR officially published its EDI strategy in September 2022 which aims to empower and inspire the NIHR workforce to create positive change, both within NIHR and in the wider community.
The strategy outlines their priorities for the next five years from 2022-2027 and aims to embed EDI across research, systems and culture. It will help foster an inclusive environment, engage the talents and energy of diverse people in all areas of our work and improve the relevance and quality of our research.
Esther Mukuka, NIHR Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, said:
“This strategy sets out our ambition to become a more inclusive funder of research, where equality and diversity are sustainably embedded in everything we do. Delivering on the strategy marks the next step in our EDI journey and will not only improve the relevance and quality of our research, but also ensure that we are fully able to leverage the energy and talents of the diverse people we work with. It is our collective actions that will drive change. In our day to day interactions, the decisions we make and plans we put in place, we all have a part to play.”
The strategy is centred around 5 key themes:
1. Become a more inclusive funder of research
2. Widen access and participation for greater diversity and inclusion
3. Improve and invest in the NIHR talent pipeline
4. Embed evidence-led diversity and inclusion approaches
5. Collaborate with partners for impact and sustainability
For more information, visit, NIHR launches new equality, diversity and inclusion strategy | NIHR
Race Equality
The Race Equality Charter is a national framework developed by the Equality Challenge Unit which aims to improve the representation, progression and success of ethnic minority staff and students in higher education. Out of a total of 30 institutions that started the process, only 21 completed it and King's was one of only eight who received the Bronze Award.
The Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience's ongoing equality programmes and initiatives demonstrate its continuing to work to improve equality.
Race and Ethnicity Advisory Group
We launched a Race and Ethnicity Advisory group in 2021 as part of our commitment to keeping principles of Diversity, Inclusion and Equality at the heart of our activities.
The READ group was borne out of a proposal from a series of Race Equality working groups that were run to find out how the BRC can improve our approach to conducting research. One of the ideas suggested by these working groups was a Race and Ethnicity Advisory Group, to provide advice on research studies and support our researchers with guidance and insight.
If you are interested in finding out more about this, please email Dr Faith Matcham at: Read-edi@kcl.ac.uk
NIHR LGBTQ+ Staff Network
The NIHR LGBTQ+ Staff Network was launched in January 2024 and is open to all staff working as part of NIHR (such as staff in coordinating centres, LCRN core teams, delivery staff in LCRN partner organisations and staff in NIHR infrastructure eg. ARCs and BRCs) who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community or as allies.
The focus of the Network has been shaped by many of the 120 people who responded to the expression of interest which went out last year and will include peer support and wellbeing; social and community activities; development and training; LGBTQ+ research inclusion and communications and engagement.
If you are interested in joining the mailing list for the NIHR LGBTQ+ Staff Network and would like to be invited to future meetings, please complete this short form.
If you have any questions or comments, please contact ResearchInclusion@nihr.ac.uk
