Healthcare professions are strongest when they reflect the diversity of the people within them and the communities they serve. Inclusion is not only about who enters a profession, but whether everyone, regardless of age, sex or background, has a genuine opportunity to shape discussions, feel valued and progress in careers. This principle was at the heart of our recent collaborative Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) event, jointly hosted by the Newcastle University School of Pharmacy and the NIHR Patient Safety Research Collaboration: Newcastle (PSRC) on 21st October 2026. This was the twelfth event in our EDI series, designed to foster inclusive conversations and patient safety learning across the pharmacy profession, health care system and beyond.
We were delighted to welcome Thorrun Govind, a pharmacist, healthcare lawyer and television health expert, as our guest speaker. The event brought together pharmacy students and staff, NHS colleagues, and PSRC staff and students, with over 200 people in attendance.
Drawing on her experiences across pharmacy, healthcare law and broadcasting, Thorrun discussed career barriers linked to age, sex and a lack of diversity, and the importance of creating inclusive environments where everyone has the opportunity to progress. Her message to future pharmacists and healthcare professionals was clear: “there is no single route to building a meaningful career.” Supporting people to recognise opportunities, challenge barriers and find their own path is, as Thorrun emphasised, something she cares about deeply.
Second year pharmacy student, Kiarash Khalilpour, reflected on what he took away from the session: “I’ve always been particularly interested in science and health literacy. To me, Thorrun’s talk on her experiences and the barriers she overcame was insightful! I now realise that becoming this person that can shape health literacy and health awareness amongst the general public is indeed very possible, and it can be done by a person such as myself, and through a career that begins as a pharmacist instead of simply ending as one.”
“As someone outside the pharmacy profession, I value the opportunity to attend EDI events to broaden my understanding and gain insight into the experiences our students may encounter throughout their pharmacy careers. These events provide a valuable opportunity for students to hear diverse viewpoints and learn from others’ experiences, helping them develop a greater awareness of the importance of equity, diversity and inclusion in their future practice” – Amy McAllister, Deputy School Manager.
These conversations also matter for patient safety. Our work at NIHR PSRC: Newcastle has recognised that safety is not experienced equally by all patients, and that inequities in care can arise from the systems and structures that surround it. A diverse and inclusive workforce is better placed to recognise these inequities and to help design services that are safe, trusted and accessible to all.
Rebecca Orr, Deputy Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) reflected “these events are fundamental in broadening students perspectives of pharmacy in practice, aiding their current studies and future careers. Thorrun provided valuable insight into how equality, diversity, and inclusion can be involved in every day professional situations and link strongly to patient safety. It was great to see such a high turnout at the recent event and I hope the students found it as useful as colleagues did.”
We thank Thorrun for her generous insights in this event, and all who joined us in attendance. We are looking forward to continuing these conversations in our School and PSRC work going forward.
~ blog written by Dr Anna Robinson-Barella, Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), NIHR Newcastle Patient Safety Research Collaboration (PSRC) – with thanks to Kiarash, Amy and Rebecca for their reflections.
