Recognised for promoting '¨NHS diversity

A Luton couple have received a prestigious NHS award at the East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT) staff awards.
Zaz and ShannazZaz and Shannaz
Zaz and Shannaz

Zaz and Shannaz Wahid, of Luton, were recognised for their work in encouraging more South Asians from the town into careers in mental health.

They were named as winners of the Inclusion Award, the annual awards celebrate the outstanding efforts of its staff and recognise unsung heroes.

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The award they won recognises outstanding efforts to promote diversity and equality within the NHS.

Mr and Mrs Wahid work for ELFT and have supported a University of Bedfordshire outreach project in Luton focused on promoting courses and careers in nursing, including mental health, and midwifery.

ELFT provides mental health services across Luton, Bedfordshire and East London.

Shannaz said: “We are just blown away at receiving this award.

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“It is a great honour and one we accept on behalf of all our Luton colleagues who work tirelessly to change attitudes towards mental health and provide the help people need, whatever their culture, faith or heritage.”

The couple are passionate about the rewards of working in mental health and are determined to highlight opportunities available and challenge preconceptions people in the South Asian community may have that stop them from considering nursing careers.

Zaz is a senior manager with Luton Psychiatric Liaision team at Luton and Dunstable University Hospital and Shannaz is a community mental health nurse with one of the Luton Community Mental Health Teams.

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