New book from LTHT staff

New book from LTHT staff puts racism under the spotlight

A new anthology of stories written by Leeds hospitals’ staff was published in October, where it coincided with Black History Month.

The book, ‘Amplifying Voices, Mending Divides’, features 14 contributions from staff at LTHT and others associated with the Trust, including both BME and non-BME voices. Each story describes deeply personal experiences of racism, inequality, and discrimination through a number of mediums including personal autobiography, creative non-fiction, and poetry. The anthology aims to capture how racism plays out in the workplace and wider society through a diverse set of voices including staff from both white and minority ethnic backgrounds. The brainchild of Ester Jamera, Senior Project Nurse - Staff Experience and CoChair of the BME Staff Network at LTHT, the book was conceived as a response to the inequalities in healthcare laid bare by the Covid pandemic as well as the death of George Floyd in the US in 2020. Ester said: “I am so pleased that the book is finally out. Thank you to the contributors and all who have played a part to bring us to this point. It has been long and hard work behind the scenes but seeing the book in print brings me indescribable joy and hope. Having the book’s launch coincide with Black History Month is also very significant for me. I hope the book will act as a conversation starter in many different spaces and resources for individuals, teams and CSUs as we try to figure out what needs to be done to bring race equity to life in the organisation.” Jenny Lewis, Director of HR and OD, said: “I’m so pleased that the powerful stories within the book are being told and shared. Thank you to everyone who has made their contribution – it’s a really insightful and often challenging read and it’s an important part of our commitment to root out racism. Building trust and listening to each other is so vitally important. All members of LTHT staff are invited to sign up for a copy via the LTHT website. Staff who pledge to set up an Amplifying Voices reading group will be given a free copy of the book as well as a discussion pack to help ask questions about the stories in the anthology. Find out more on the LTHT website by searching: Amplifying Voices LTHT.

Welcome

Welcome to the Autumn issue of Bulletin!

As the nights draw in demotivation can strike hard. Colder, wetter weather and less daylight don’t do anything to help us get out and active. With the pandemic, lockdown and our hospitals staying busy all this year, it’s been particularly difficult to find the motivation or even just the time for regular healthy activity. But we know that exercise and keeping fit does us a whole world of good for both our minds and bodies - from burning off stress and staving off illness to helping us live longer. So what can we do?

This issue of The Bulletin magazine is dedicated to finding out the secret of motivation, goal-setting, and creating healthy habits. In this issue we’re hearing from colleagues at the Trust what they do to stay active when the weather closes in, and our Physiotherapy team share some easy exercises you can do without leaving your desk. Want to know the secrets to success? Who better to ask than the professionals! We’ve got a Bulletin exclusive featuring interviews with local sports stars including 2021 Olympic and Paralympic legends! It’s so important we are making the time to look after ourselves as we head towards the winter. Exercise and staying active is a great way to do this – I hope you’ll find inspiration to stay motivated in this packed issue of Bulletin.

Kind regards