Workshop 1 (mapped to Framework Area 1: 

‘Do widening participation students and doctors ‘belong’ within the NHS?’

Facilitated by: Paula Glancy and Lorraine Close

The NHS must welcome all, with a culture of belonging and trust. We must understand, encourage and celebrate diversity in all its forms (NHS People Plan 2020/2021)

Belonging is the experience of being accepted, included, and valued by others within a team. Ensuring students and junior trainees feel like they belong within the team can help to build motivation and enhance learning and professional development.  

In this 90-minute workshop, we will encourage participants to reflect on the concept of ‘belonging’ within the NHS workplace – using their own experiences and experiences they may have observed. We will explore how this can impact the learning experience and affect clinical practice, with a particular focus on how this affects students and trainees from underrepresented groups – particularly those from widening participation (WP) backgrounds. 

Learning outcomes are as follows: 

1.Define what ‘widening participation’ criteria are

2.Discuss the concept of ‘belonging’ and its impact on learning, with reference to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

3.Consider the impact of WP criteria on the ability of students and doctors to ‘belong’ within the NHS 

Dr. Paula Glancy is a haematology clinical fellow in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. She has a PGCert in medical education from Newcastle University, and is passionate about widening participation in medicine. She has been a member of ‘You Can Be A Doctor’ since its inception in 2015, and is the first person in her family to become a doctor.