As part of our Black History Month series to mark this year’s theme of ‘Honouring our Communities’, Freedom Nwokedi – Assistant Director of our Outstanding-rated Older People's Mental Health Services – shares her story.
Leadership has been a significant part of my career for many years. Even before coming to the UK, I held senior leadership positions in Nigeria, including serving as a Matron in a major teaching hospital and holding a national leadership role within the nursing profession. Those experiences taught me the importance of accountability, professionalism and advocating for both patients and staff.
My journey to Navigo is closely tied to the history of the organisation itself. I was part of the original workforce that transitioned from Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH) when Navigo was established.
I started as a Band 5 nurse and progressed through a Band 6, before becoming a Band 7 Clinical Team Lead in 2013. Since then, I have continued to develop both clinically and strategically, eventually progressing into senior operational management and nurse consultant roles.
But that progression didn’t happen by chance. It required hard work, a commitment to lifelong learning and a willingness to invest significant time in professional development.
Within Navigo, one person who had a particularly significant influence on me was Janine Smith. Janine recognised leadership qualities in me and gave me opportunities to develop and demonstrate them. She appointed me to my first Clinical Team Lead position and showed confidence in my abilities at a time when that support was invaluable.
Observing Janine’s leadership style reinforced my own belief that good leadership is about enabling others to succeed and creating a culture where excellence becomes the norm.
The project I’m most proud of is the expansion of older people’s mental health services. When I first took responsibility for the service, it was a relatively small ten-bedded unit. Over time – through strategic planning, service development and investment – that has expanded significantly and now supports 53 service users across multiple units. I’m also proud of leading the bank and agency workforce project.
The common factor behind both successes was teamwork. Neither project could have been achieved by one individual.
I wish more people understood that there is always a person behind the diagnosis. Every individual has lived a rich and often complex life before experiencing mental health difficulties. The best care comes from seeing the whole person rather than focusing solely on the illness.
Some older people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities have experienced discrimination, exclusion or a lack of understanding within healthcare systems over many years. Those experiences can influence how they view services today.
The important thing is that we acknowledge those experiences rather than dismiss them. Building trust takes time, consistency and genuine willingness to listen. When people feel heard and respected, engagement and outcomes improve significantly.
Where we can fall short is in cultural literacy. Sometimes staff genuinely want to provide good care, but lack the knowledge of confidence to understand cultural differences. Improving cultural competence across the workforce is essential if we are serious about delivering equitable care.
[If I could change one thing to make Navigo better for BAME staff,] I would focus on creating an environment where BAME colleagues felt fully recognised, understood and heard.
I would also like to see more work around addressing conscious and unconscious bias. Sometimes behaviours or communication styles are misunderstood because they are viewed through a cultural lens that differs from the person’s own background. This can lead to unfair judgments or assumptions.
What would I say to a young Black person thinking about a career in mental health? I would tell them that it is one of the most rewarding careers they can choose.
Don’t allow perceived barriers or a lack of representation to discourage you. Your background, culture and experiences are strengths that can help you connect with people and bring valuable perspectives to the profession.
Most importantly, be proud of who you are. The mental health profession needs diverse voices and diverse leaders. Your contribution can help shape the future of care for generations to come.