Finding my voice to drive change

Lived experience with a different voice

I’ll start by asking you a question. When you consider who you are as individual, do you ever wonder how your voice shapes your identity? I imagine that most people reading this would say never. 

The ability to speak and verbally communicate is something we usually take for granted, apart perhaps when we might have a sore throat and ‘lose our voice’. For me, I became aware at a young age that our voices are an integral part of our individual identities.

Lived experience with a vocal impairment

When I was 18 months old, I underwent surgery for a heart condition. Although the surgery corrected my heart, it damaged my left vocal chord, leaving it paralysed. Despite further vocal surgery, I have always spoken with an impaired voice, which might be described as hoarse. The thing about a vocal or communication impairment is that you can’t see it, it is hidden or invisible. If you were to meet me would you say to yourself, that guy looks fine, I wouldn’t think he self-identifies as being disabled.

I am a strong advocate for the social model of disability, the way in which the world and society has been structured creates barriers that have an adverse impact on people with a disability or long-term condition. My condition has, at times, negatively affected my lived experiences. At school in inner-city London, I was bullied for speaking ‘differently’. These negative experiences impacted my mental health and confidence, led me to leave education at 16, and made it harder to access employment.

Moving into the world of employment

As I got older, I gained self-appreciation of the challenges that I had experienced and became more curious about what career I could follow. I began to explore roles that would allow me to draw on my lived experiences and abilities.

In 2005 I joined the Cabinet Office in a team responsible for producing the first diversity strategy for the Civil Service.  The role offered valuable personal development, but more importantly, I realised that working in diversity and inclusion was the opportunity I was seeking. I felt able to contribute to building a society in which we are all valued for our differences and lived experiences.

Since 2012, I have worked in the NHS, primarily in equality roles. This included time as the national equality, diversity and inclusion manager at Health Education England, followed by a senior manager role at NHS England, where I led the NHS Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES).

The Workforce Disability Equality Standard

Since 2019, the WDES has strengthened the NHS’s understanding of the working and career experiences of disabled staff. Over 25 per cent of NHS staff declare a disability through the NHS Staff Survey.

Whilst we have seen some improvements, WDES data shows that more work is needed to ensure that disabled staff experience equity. The NHS must take action to reduce the discrimination disabled colleagues’ experience. More improvement is also needed in career progression, staff engagement, and recognition. 

One persistent challenge is workplace adjustments. Although 75 per cent of disabled staff report being satisfied with the support they receive, this still means 1 in 4 do not have the adjustments they need.

Disabled staff networks

Over the past five years, a positive development has been the increase in visibility of disabled staff networks. In addition to many trusts having a network, we have also seen the introduction of national networks, including the Disabled NHS Directors Network, the National Ambulance Disability Network, and the NHS Deaf and Hard of Hearing Staff Network, launched in 2024. A growing number of disabled staff are also members of the National Association of Disabled Staff Networks CIC (of which I am a director).

Staff networks can be a positive asset to both NHS organisations as well as disabled staff. They provide a platform for employers to engage with, and hear the views of, disabled staff. Staff can use the networks to have a collective voice, provide peer support, and work collaboratively to further awareness of disability inclusion.

As we look to the future of the NHS, we must recognise the many benefits of a diverse workforce that includes disabled colleagues. It is imperative that we continue to advance understanding of the social model of disability.