International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated annually on 8th March. It is a global event dedicated to recognising the achievements of women and advocating for gender equality. For IHSCM members, IWD is a significant celebration of contributions, emphasises the importance of gender equality, which is essential in creating inclusive and effective health and social care systems, and helps raise awareness about the challenges women face in the workplace and encourages actions to address these issues.

AGENDA:

• 9:30am-9:50am The DOSE Effect by Sue Jones MIHSCM, Director for Social Care, IHSCM

The DOSE effect (Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin and Endorphines). Sue will discuss what it is like living in the world today as a woman and understanding why we can feel overwhelmed and some really useful strategies to cope.

• 9:50am-10:10am “What You Think, You Become” by Sarah wilson, Leadership Coach & Social Housing Consultant and Director – Coastal Coaching (Sussex) Limited

Sarah Wilson, Leadership Coach, will be talking about the power of thoughts and what they can create. In a complex world, focussing on what we can control – ourselves, is vital. Sarah will be helping you raise your own self awareness and really think about who you are creating.

• 10:40am-11:00am Accelerating Action by Dr Daghni Rajasingam FIHSCM MA MRCOG, Deputy Chief Medical Officer and Consultant Obstetrician, Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and Medical Director, Secondary Care Transformation, NHSE South-East.

Daghni has been actively involved in addressing and reducing ethnic inequalities in maternity care. As co-chair of the South East London Local Maternity System and a maternity clinical advisor, she has emphasized the importance of accelerating action to close the gap in maternal health outcomes between different ethnic groups. Her work focuses on driving research, supporting innovations, and implementing strategic policy recommendations to create sustainable change

• 11:10am-11:30am Moving the conversation on from equality. It’s time to embrace equity by Dr Claire Mould FIHSCM, Founder and Director of Curve Strategic, CEO of Heart of England Mencap, and Co-Chair of the IHSCM Women in Leadership Special Interest Group.

This session will outline how despite their similarities, equity & equality are inherently different concepts. We’ll discuss why equal opportunities are no longer ‘enough’.

• 11:30am-11:50am Suma John by Suma John, Ward Manager, Cardiff and Vale UHB ans Welsh Clinical Leadership Trainee Fellow for the Welsh Government.

Suma John is a ward manager in Cardiff and Vale UHB and in a secondment position with Welsh Government as Welsh Clinical Leadership Trainee Fellow, leading a project to develop a ward mangers’ toolkit for Wales.

Suma is from India and has lived in Wales since 2002. she will talk about her journey as an ethnic minority woman who lived in a male-dominated world till she was 27 and then moved to the UK wanting to make her dreams come true.

• 13:30pm-13:50pm A Female Leadership Journey in Social Care by Hayley Robertshaw

We are delighted to be joined by our fabulously inspiring long-time member, Hayley Robertshaw of St Martins Care with us on International Women’s Day to talk about her own leadership journey. She will go through how she began working in social care, the ups, the downs and the lessons she has learned. For all aspiring leaders out there, this session is not to be missed.

• 13:50pm-14:10pm Leading Through Complexity: Women Driving Systemic Change by Nicki Bramford, Founder of Auxology – Transformation Change.

Nicki is Founder of AUXOLOGY – Transformation Change. In her session, you will explore the unique challenges and opportunities for women leading in complex systems. Nicki will identify key leadership skills needed to navigate uncertainty, influence change, and foster inclusive cultures, and provide practical strategies for balancing organisational excellence with workforce well-being and innovation.

These talks provide opportunities for networking and collaboration, allowing members to connect with like-minded professionals and organisations committed to gender equality, to learn from those who have gone before, and to share and learn from best practices.

Overall, International Women’s Day is a powerful reminder of the ongoing efforts to achieve gender equality and the vital role that IHSCM members can play in this journey.

REGISTER NOW and drop in and out throughout the day with one link: IHSCM International Women’s Day Talks Tickets, Fri 7 Mar 2025 at 09:30 | Eventbrite

IHSCM Members can attain 2 High Performance Leadership Framework points for attending each session towards Me, Myself and I and Leadership Excellence.