28 November 2025

Cultural Consultations are helping staff to navigate cultural dynamics and improve patient care through structured dialogue and reflection. 

The Cultural Consultation initiative, which has been running for several years in some services, brings staff together monthly to explore how culture – both organisational and personal – impacts clinical practice, team relationships, and patient experiences. This is not training.  

What is a Cultural Consultation? 

Cultural Consultation sessions use structured facilitation techniques to help teams explore meaningful conversations about culture, identity, and equity. The initiative recognises that having these conversations requires skill and care. 

The sessions focus on creating psychologically safe spaces where staff can explore topics including power dynamics, identity, and the often-unspoken tensions that exist in healthcare settings. 

Participants have shared that simple exercises - such as discussing the meaning and pronunciation of their names - have opened conversations and strengthened team bonds. 

Scaling Across the Trust 

The programme has Trust Board endorsement and strong senior leadership support: Chief Operating Officer Graeme Caul reaffirmed his commitment as one of the Executive programme sponsors, highlighting how Cultural Consultation aligns with CNWL's operational priorities and Health Equity ambitions. Chief People Officer Nick Green confirmed that managers will be expected to engage with the sessions and support and release facilitators, emphasising this work sits firmly within workforce development priorities. 

Next Steps 

11 facilitators have been trained under the leadership of Fatima Elguenuni, CNWL Community Collaboration Consultant. An SMT rollout plan is being finalised, which will include early-adopter teams from January 2026 onwards, with a view to SMT’s cascading the learning to their teams with support from facilitators.  

Cultural Consultation is embedded within CNWL's Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework (PCREF), recognising the central role this work plays in strengthening equity and reflective practice across services. The initiative directly supports PCREF's Cultural Awareness workstream and helps address data showing significant disparities. 

The initiative represents a significant shift toward creating workplaces where cultural humility, curiosity and genuine human connection can flourish - ultimately improving both staff experience and patient care. 

For more information about Cultural Consultation or to get involved, contact the EDI, Culture and Coaching team. 

A sepcial thanks to the first cohort of Cultural Consultation Facilitators:

Lead Facilitator: Fatima Elguenuni

Facilitators:

  • Sepideh Mhojatoleslami
  • Tafadzwa Tapfuma
  • Claire Matthews
  • Daniah Al-Ali
  • Amell El-Guenuni
  • Silvia Angioi
  • Ishmael Mupfupi
  • Luisa Chirico
  • Elizabeth Power
  • Filipa Martins Silva
  • Amanda Byrne-Zangouras
  • Angela Byrne