This week we welcomed a new chair to our EmbRACE staff network: research officer Dr Victor Jeganathan.
Victor works in our Psychological Insights Team, but many across DCHS will also recognise him for his illustrations, which have been used across multiple projects and campaigns to help tackle health inequalities and to educate and engage audiences on a wide range of healthcare topics.
You can hear more about Victor, plans for his time as chair, and view some of his illustrations here:
As the new chair of EmbRACE, the staff network that supports diversity and drives change around race equality, Victor brings a blend of behavioural science expertise, creativity, and personal insight to the role. His motivation for applying was rooted in a deep commitment to supporting people across DCHS.
“It goes without saying that, like anyone in a DCHS role, a willingness to support people is a key motivation for taking up the position. I believe this holds true regardless of what role someone holds within DCHS.
“Personally, EmbRACE appealed to me because it offers both a sense of familiarity and the excitement of a new challenge. In my public health role, my job involves understanding a range of populations, identifying their strengths, recognising their barriers, and finding ways to support them. In many respects, the EmbRACE role reflects this approach.
“We have around 4,500 staff, which is larger than the population of Bakewell, so I often think of DCHS as being similar to a small town. However, unlike a typical Derbyshire town, we have higher levels of minority representation, distinctive challenges, and unique opportunities for our staff to thrive. Exploring, understanding, and discovering what we can achieve together is what attracted me to apply.”
Victor believes he brings three key strengths that will help shape the network: research skills, graphic design, and lived experience.
“As a behavioural science researcher, I’m often researching to understand problems, but nothing beats talking to people directly and working with them to design solutions. That’s the part I’m most excited about.
“I also bring my graphic design skills. This sometimes steals the spotlight because they’re more visual, but they’re a big part of how I work. It’s not enough to understand a problem, you need to communicate it in a way that engages people and shows a clear way forward.
“And then there’s lived experience. Yes, I’ve faced racism, but often it’s the subtle comments and actions from others that make you second-guess. Those experiences make me more aware of the need to understand staff needs through the unique lens of working in DCHS.”
Looking ahead, Victor is clear about the changes he hopes to influence across the Trust.
“The main changes I want are positive changes in next year’s internal surveys. Our data show that minority staff are having a tougher time than their peers in many respects. These issues are not unique to DCHS, as they exist across the UK. However, our DCHS values make it clear that we should be actively challenging this and supporting our minority colleagues.
“We can achieve this through several means, such as open conversations, acknowledging our biases, making policy changes, and shifting our culture. Much of this takes years to achieve, but any positive changes we see over that period will be a win not only for EmbRACE but for all staff and patients, as a kinder and more inclusive work environment clearly benefits everyone. The survey numbers hold us accountable, provide clear direction, and indicate what actions we should be doing.”