Culture, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (CEDI) Impact Award winners announced

Pictured, left to right: Professor Grainne McAlonan, Monika Hartmann (accepting on behalf of Dr Daniel van Wamelen), Dr Alice Wickersham, Dr Tao Wang and Dr Mariana Pinto da Costa

The first Culture, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (CEDI) Impact Award winners have been announced. This award recognizes and celebrates the efforts of researchers supported by the NIHR Maudsley BRC who have made significant contributions to research and who promote equality, diversity, and inclusion in their work.  

The Judging Panel of the CEDI Impact Award 2024 has recognised the following articles as champions of our CEDI values - the top three winners are:  

First prize 

• Daniel van Wamelen, Silvia Rota, Monika Hartmann, Naomi H. Martin, Ali M. Alam, Rhys H. Thomas, Katherine C. Dodd, Thomas Jenkins, Craig J. Smith, Michael S. Zandi, Ava Easton, Georgina Carr, Laura A. Benjamin, James B. Lilleker, David Saucer, Alasdair J. Coles, Nicholas Wood, K. Ray Chaudhuri, Gerome Breen, Benedict Daniel Michael  
• Addressing ethnic disparities in neurological research in the United Kingdom: An example from the prospective multicentre COVID-19 Clinical Neuroscience Study, Clinical Medicine (Volume 24, Issue 3, May 2024) 

The panel said: “This article based on the COVID-CNS study focuses on addressing underrepresentation in neurological research by recruiting a participant cohort reflective of the UK’s diverse population. Over 50% of participants were from non-White ethnic minority backgrounds, an exceptional achievement in the field. His team implemented strategies to overcome recruitment barriers, including providing culturally sensitive engagement, transportation support, and flexible session timings. The study provides good examples for inclusive research design and reporting, offering a model for future studies aiming to tackle disparities and recruit diverse samples.” 

The first prize winner was awarded £1,000 that can be used for training or conference attendance.

 Dr Daniel van Wamelen Clinical Senior Lecturer in Neuroscience, King’s College London and First Prize winner, said:

“We are thrilled to have received the CEDI Impact Award for our work addressing ethnic disparities in neurological research through the COVID-CNS study. Our findings highlight that it is possible to recruit a participant cohort reflective of the UK’s ethnic diversity, promoting inclusivity and validity in research. I’m very grateful to the team and all participants for making this milestone achievable!” 

Second prize 

• Alice Wickersham, Jayati Das-Munshi, Tamsin Ford, Amelia Jewell, Robert Stewart, Johnny Downs 
• Impact of inconsistent ethnicity recordings on estimates of inequality in child health and education data: a data linkage study of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in South London (BMJ Open 2024)  

The panel said: “Alice’s research investigates discrepancies in ethnicity data comparing records from Clinical Record Interactive Search (CRIS) and the National Pupil Database (NPD). Her findings highlight the challenges and biases that arise when ethnicity data is inconsistently captured, affecting the measurement of ethnic inequalities. She offers detailed methodological recommendations and provides a framework for improving data collection standards. This research has already informed broader studies on data discrepancies.” 

Third prize 

• Tao Wang, David Codling, Dinesh Bhugra, Yamiko Msosa, Matthew Broadbent, Rashmi Patel, Angus Roberts, Philip McGuire, Robert Stewart, Richard Dobson, Robert Harland 
• Unraveling ethnic disparities in antipsychotic prescribing among patients with psychosis: A retrospective cohort study based on electronic clinical records, (Schizophrenia Research,2023) 

The panel said: “This study used electronic health records and natural language processing to uncover disparities in antipsychotic prescribing among patients with psychosis. This research demonstrated systemic inequities, showing that Black patients are more likely to receive depot antipsychotics and less likely to receive clozapine compared to others. Tao’s work integrates interdisciplinary approaches and co-design with clinicians and public involvement groups to identify disparities and develop actionable solutions. The implementation of the VIEWER/LUCI system from this research is already enhancing clinical decision-making at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.” 

Award Jury panel  

The applications were scored independently by panel members according to the evaluation criteria. After scoring, the applications were ranked by average total score, and the shortlist was discussed by members of a Jury panel, including:  

• Professor Grainne McAlonan, NIHR Maudsley BRC Director (Chair)  

• Professor Stephani Hatch, IoPPN Vice Dean, Culture, Diversity and Inclusion  

• Dr Mariana Pinto da Costa, Champion for Culture, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, NIHR Maudsley BRC   

• Dr Juliana Onwumere, Chair, Building Race Equity and Diversity (BREaD) in Research   

• Dr Ahmad Al Khleifat, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead Motor Neuron Disease Theme, NIHR Maudsley BRC   

• Maria-Mihaela Avram, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion PhD students representative, NIHR Maudsley BRC   

• Saskia Evans Perks, Lived Experience Ambassador, Research and Development Team, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust 

Saskia Evans Perks said: “It is fantastic to see the important work being done to prioritise equality, diversity, and inclusion in research. It is essential to ensure that the needs of all service users are understood and addressed equitably in order to improve outcomes for underserved groups and reduce disparities in mental health care.” 

Diversity Data training 

The Award Ceremony was preceded by training in diversity data in research, in which participants received guidance and heard examples of how best to collect and report diversity data. The training was delivered by Dr Mariana Pinto da Costa alongside Hannah Woods, Data Linkage Research and Governance Coordinator, CRIS team and Informatics theme EDI representative, and Maria-Mihaela Avram, PhD Student and EDI representative. 

Dr Mariana Pinto da Costa said: "It was inspiring to see a full house at our diversity data training session. The lively discussions on designing thoughtful questions for participants and effectively reporting data showcased the energy and engagement of our community. We then celebrated the top three winners of our inaugural CEDI Impact Award and heard about their exceptional research contributions to advancing equality, diversity, and inclusion." 

Pictured, left to right: Hannah Woods, Dr Mariana Pinto da Costa and Maria-Mihaela Avram who led the Diversity Data Training

EDI Strategy of the NIHR Maudsley BRC 

Our EDI strategy aligns with the efforts of our partner organisations to create a genuinely welcoming and inclusive research environment that reflects and celebrates the diversity of our research community - where all individuals feel recognised, valued and supported. 

The NIHR Maudsley BRC promotes equity and aims to reduce discrimination and systemic barriers to research participation, training, and career progression. By fostering inclusivity, we work to create a sense of belonging and ensure that every member of our community can fully contribute their unique perspectives and talents to advancing the delivery of innovative research outputs and impacts for patient benefit. Through different initiatives, we cultivate creativity, innovation and excellence, enabling all our stakeholders to thrive and achieve their highest potential. 

See the webpage Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, 2023 - 2028 for our full strategy.