Uncomfortable Conversations: Visible Difference
AACE and the College of Paramedics hosted a Visible Difference zoom call on Monday 19 June 2023.
We invited all ambulance service employees and volunteers to attend this session to increase understanding and awareness of visible difference and how we can be visible difference allies for our patients and colleagues.
All ten English NHS ambulance trusts, the Welsh Ambulance Service and Northern Ireland Ambulance Service have signed up to the pledge, joining the Scottish Ambulance Service which made the commitment during 2022.
Bringing ambulance services on board is a significant step for the campaign and represents the first UK-wide set of public bodies to commit to better representations of those with visible differences in their internal and external communications, such as recruitment advertising, as well as educating staff about the prejudice and discrimination experienced by those with visible differences and disfigurements.
A recording of the session can be viewed here.
Facilitators
The session was facilitated by Liz Harris, Head of Professional Standards, College of Paramedics, and Anna Parry, Deputy Managing Director, AACE.
Speakers
Heather Blake
Chief Executive Officer, Changing Faces
Ella Davies
Changing Faces Campaigner, West Midlands Ambulance Service
With reflections from:
Lisa Ward
Director of People, North West Ambulance Service
Daniel Elkeles
Chief Executive, London Ambulance Service
Mohammed Ramzen
Head of Diversity & Inclusion, West Midlands Ambulance Service
Emotional Support:
Dr Catherine Goodwin
Assistant Director Inclusion, Culture and Wellbeing, Welsh Ambulance Service
Consultant Clinical Psychologist
Chat Box Monitors:
Sally Horwood
Project Manager, AACE
Resources
Changing Faces | The Visible Difference & Disfigurement Charity
What Is Skin Camouflage For Disfigurement? | Changing Faces
