Posted on: 19 June 2023
Thursday 22 June is Windrush Day. CNWL's Adam Sobrany, Co-Chair of the BAME Network has written this blog.
"The UK marks the 75th anniversary of two significant events: the Windrush and the creation of the National Health Service. It is time to celebrate these events in UK history and how they came together. After the second world war, most industries in Britain suffered from labour shortages and called out to the Commonwealth nations. People from all over the world came to help rebuild Britain. Many came from the Caribbean, known as the Windrush generation, to support the newly created National Health Service.
The Labour Minister of Health, Aneurin Bevan, officially launched the National Health Service on 5th July 1948. During the 1950s and 1960s, many nursing staff joined the NHS in tackling labour shortages. The government invited people from Commonwealth countries to work in the UK, and as a response, people came in large numbers to rebuild Britain.
The Empire Windrush was the first large ship to bring 1027 passengers from Caribbean countries to dock in Tilbury, Essex, on 22nd June 1948, two weeks before the NHS official launch.
The Caribbean Citizens who came to Britain between 1948 and 1971 became known as the Windrush generation. The immigrants faced racism despite being invited to live and work in the UK. The Windrush generation formed the backbone of the NHS, which supported the system.
Since then, despite the challenges, we have seen many inspirational nurses succeed in advancing to great heights. Dr Nola Ishmael's story can be listened to in this recording by Dr Ruth Oshikanlu OBE on Nurses Midwives Talk.
Dr Ishmael OBE was the first Black Director of Nursing in the UK.
I, like any others, came years later from the time of the Windrush to start my nurse training in mental health nursing.
Professor Laura Serrant OBE wrote a poem about the Windrush Generation of nurses in the UK. You can read it here.
The BAME Network Chairs met recently with CEO Claire Murdoch to discuss how to meet the needs of our global ethnic majority healthcare workforce at CNWL. We look forward to working with Claire and have addressed the need to identify transformational leadership that involves compassionate and inclusive behaviours to improve staff's working lives and experiences."