Open Britain x NHS Imperial Trust Collaboration - Rhona Eslabra -– mMatron/tTheatre mManager for St. Mary’s and Western Eye hHospitals, St Mary’s Rhona Eslabra was born in the Cagayan Valley in the Philippines. Rhona was 30 when the NHS recruited her to by the NHS to come to UK, leaving her baby daughter and husband behind. The difference in the working environment and more importantly the culture, can make it very difficult for migrant nurses to progress and can, affecting their confidence. Rhona arrived as an adaptation nurse where the mentors make an informed decision if one can be signed off as a registered nNurse and eventually get their NMCNursing and Midwifery Council registration. Rhona has done well to advance to matron and continues to widen her capabilities and enhance her expertise. She's currently completing her 'Go further': healthcare leaders fellowship -– a targeted leadership development programme to develop and nurture talent in our healthcare professionals from BAME backgrounds. Important with such a diverse workforce.It’s important to have diverse leaders amongst such a diverse workforce. Her daughter followed her to the UK and just recently completed her medicine degree. She will and will join as a doctor at Saint Mary’s Hospital in August as a doctor. .

Rhona Eslabra -– mMatron/tTheatre mManager for St. Mary’s and Western Eye hHospitals, St Mary’s

Rhona Eslabra was born in the Cagayan Valley in the Philippines. Rhona was 30 when the NHS recruited her to by the NHS to come to UK, leaving her baby daughter and husband behind.
The difference in the working environment and more importantly the culture, can make it very difficult for migrant nurses to progress and can, affecting their confidence. Rhona arrived as an adaptation nurse where the mentors make an informed decision if one can be signed off as a registered nNurse and eventually get their NMCNursing and Midwifery Council registration.
Rhona has done well to advance to matron and continues to widen her capabilities and enhance her expertise. She's currently completing her 'Go further': healthcare leaders fellowship -– a targeted leadership development programme to develop and nurture talent in our healthcare professionals from BAME backgrounds. Important with such a diverse workforce.It’s important to have diverse leaders amongst such a diverse workforce.
Her daughter followed her to the UK and just recently completed her medicine degree. She will and will join as a doctor at Saint Mary’s Hospital in August as a doctor.
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Open Britain x NHS Imperial Trust Collaboration - Zubeid Namigul – associate pathology practitioner, Charing Cross Zubeid was born in Peshawar, Pakistan in 2000. His parents fled Afghanistan for Pakistan during the Soviet war as refugees and moved to the UK when he was seven. Zubeid graduated in biomedical sciences in 2022 and now works in cellular pathology, providing tissue samples for consultants to make their diagnosis. Coming from a traditional Muslim background, Zubeid had the choice of whether he wanted an arranged marriage or not and was introduced to his bride on Zoom. They got to know each other remotely over three years before Zubeid travelled to Afghanistan in 2021 to meet her and marry. Zubeid was meant to stay for three months to get his wife’s papers for the UK sorted but eighteen days in, on his wife’s birthday, there was a change of government and the Taliban took over. Zubeid and his wife were evacuated on a military plane. The sudden uprooting has meant it’s been a tough assimilation process for Zubeid’s wife, but they now have a nine-month-old daughter to focus their attention on and keep them busy.

Zubeid Namigul – associate pathology practitioner, Charing Cross

Zubeid was born in Peshawar, Pakistan in 2000. His parents fled Afghanistan for Pakistan during the Soviet war as refugees and moved to the UK when he was seven. Zubeid graduated in biomedical sciences in 2022 and now works in cellular pathology, providing tissue samples for consultants to make their diagnosis.
Coming from a traditional Muslim background, Zubeid had the choice of whether he wanted an arranged marriage or not and was introduced to his bride on Zoom. They got to know each other remotely over three years before Zubeid travelled to Afghanistan in 2021 to meet her and marry.
Zubeid was meant to stay for three months to get his wife’s papers for the UK sorted but eighteen days in, on his wife’s birthday, there was a change of government and the Taliban took over. Zubeid and his wife were evacuated on a military plane. The sudden uprooting has meant it’s been a tough assimilation process for Zubeid’s wife, but they now have a nine-month-old daughter to focus their attention on and keep them busy.

Open Britain x NHS Imperial Trust Collaboration - Maryam Alfa-Wali – Trauma Surgeon, St Mary’s Maryam Alfa-Wali moved here from Kano, Northern Nigeria with her parents and nine siblings as a child. When her parents moved back Maryam chose to stay to pursue medicine at Cardiff University and embark on her specialist surgical training in London. Reality struck a personal chord for Maryam to become a trauma surgeon when she lost friends at university in a road traffic collision. At the time, the UK lacked formal training programs for trauma surgeons, unlike the US. Driven by this experience, she completed a PhD and gained experience in general surgery before seeking further training in trauma surgery at the Royal London Hospital under renowned specialists. Road traffic accidents, stabbings, self-harm incidents, and falls from heights are the leading causes of trauma surgery cases in the UK. After graduating from medical school, Maryam has dedicated over two decades to her surgical career, overcoming numerous hurdles. Most of her siblings have moved back to Nigeria but Maryam has stayed to face a more challenging way of life here both in the NHS and the everyday, including putting together IKEA flatpack furniture joked Maryam.

Maryam Alfa-Wali – Trauma Surgeon, St Mary’s

Maryam Alfa-Wali moved here from Kano, Northern Nigeria with her parents and nine siblings as a child. When her parents moved back Maryam chose to stay to pursue medicine at Cardiff University and embark on her specialist surgical training in London.
Reality struck a personal chord for Maryam to become a trauma surgeon when she lost friends at university in a road traffic collision. At the time, the UK lacked formal training programs for trauma surgeons, unlike the US. Driven by this experience, she completed a PhD and gained experience in general surgery before seeking further training in trauma surgery at the Royal London Hospital under renowned specialists. Road traffic accidents, stabbings, self-harm incidents, and falls from heights are the leading causes of trauma surgery cases in the UK.
After graduating from medical school, Maryam has dedicated over two decades to her surgical career, overcoming numerous hurdles. Most of her siblings have moved back to Nigeria but Maryam has stayed to face a more challenging way of life here both in the NHS and the everyday, including putting together IKEA flatpack furniture joked Maryam.

Open Britain x NHS Imperial Trust Collaboration - Albert King – decontamination supervisor in the endoscopic processing unit, Hammersmith Hospital Albert King was born in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He came to study in the UK in the early ‘80s. After studying English at Abbey Missionary School in London, he went on to study theology and religious studies at the University of Cambridge. During an open day at the Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Albert became very interested in surgery and theatre. He was drawn to working in a hospital and ‘saving lives, seeing people coming in sick and leaving healthy’. He trained and qualified as a medical decontamination technician, and was then assigned in theatres to reprocess the medical-surgical devices and theatre equipment making sure they are decontaminated and safe for surgery. Albert works at Hammersmith Hospital Monday to Thursday and from Friday to Sunday he works as a religious minister at Elim Community Church – moving between both physical and spiritual wellbeing.

Albert King – decontamination supervisor in the endoscopic processing unit, Hammersmith Hospital

Albert King was born in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He came to study in the UK in the early ‘80s.
After studying English at Abbey Missionary School in London, he went on to study theology and religious studies at the University of Cambridge. During an open day at the Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Albert became very interested in surgery and theatre. He was drawn to working in a hospital and ‘saving lives, seeing people coming in sick and leaving healthy’. He trained and qualified as a medical decontamination technician, and was then assigned in theatres to reprocess the medical-surgical devices and theatre equipment making sure they are decontaminated and safe for surgery.
Albert works at Hammersmith Hospital Monday to Thursday and from Friday to Sunday he works as a religious minister at Elim Community Church – moving between both physical and spiritual wellbeing.

Open Britain x NHS Imperial Trust Collaboration - Mary Boking – cleaner in intensive care, Hammersmith Hospital Mary Boking moved from the Philippines to Cyprus seventeen years ago where she worked as a domestic cleaner. Attending church on Sundays, she met Stephen, an Englishman with a holiday home there and their love blossomed over the course of four years. Coming to the UK wasn’t easy for Mary. They had to make a bank guarantee, which meant that Stephen had to sell his holiday home in Cyprus to raise the funds. Mary gets up at 4.45am every morning to travel from East London and works five days a week. She loves working in the hospital,. being part of a diverse team and having a more focused role.

Mary Boking – cleaner in intensive care, Hammersmith Hospital

Mary Boking moved from the Philippines to Cyprus seventeen years ago where she worked as a domestic cleaner. Attending church on Sundays, she met Stephen, an Englishman with a holiday home there and their love blossomed over the course of four years.
Coming to the UK wasn’t easy for Mary. They had to make a bank guarantee, which meant that Stephen had to sell his holiday home in Cyprus to raise the funds.
Mary gets up at 4.45am every morning to travel from East London and works five days a week. She loves working in the hospital,. being part of a diverse team and having a more focused role.

Open Britain x NHS Imperial Trust Collaboration - Chinenye Osinowo, Catering Assistant in Oncology Ward, Charing Cross Chinenye Osinowo studied journalism back in Nigerian and worked as a reporter at a national newspaper in Lagos. She packed it in to be a mother. Her three children came to university here to study robotics and engineering, software engineering and Artificial Intelligence and physics, so Chinenye followed. When Chinenye finished secondary school in Nigeria she went to work with her aunt as an assistant in a maternity home, where she developed an interest in caring. Chinenye has been a catering assistant for 2 years, she looks after the patients, taking care of their nutritional needs, maintaining the cleanliness of the kitchen and the ward and the patients’ environments. The patients on her ward tend to be there for long period and are in end of life and Chinenye enjoys the bond he develops with them. She misses the food, the culture and like to many international staff… the climate.

Chinenye Osinowo, Catering Assistant in Oncology Ward, Charing Cross

Chinenye Osinowo studied journalism back in Nigerian and worked as a reporter at a national newspaper in Lagos. She packed it in to be a mother. Her three children came to university here to study robotics and engineering, software engineering and Artificial Intelligence and physics, so Chinenye followed.
When Chinenye finished secondary school in Nigeria she went to work with her aunt as an assistant in a maternity home, where she developed an interest in caring.
Chinenye has been a catering assistant for 2 years, she looks after the patients, taking care of their nutritional needs, maintaining the cleanliness of the kitchen and the ward and the patients’ environments.
The patients on her ward tend to be there for long period and are in end of life and Chinenye enjoys the bond he develops with them.
She misses the food, the culture and like to many international staff… the climate.

Open Britain x NHS Imperial Trust Collaboration - Alicia Weekes – ward administrator on Charles Pannett Ward, St Mary’s Alicia Weekes was born in Barbados in 1957. Her mother came to work in the UK for Lyons Cakes as part of the Windrush Generation. Initially, Alicia didn’t see her mother for five years, however Alicia and her two brothers were reunited with her mother in London when Alicia was 10. When she arrived Alicia cried a lot because she missed the freedom of Barbados. However, looking out the window, the fascination and novelty of seeing the milkman arrive everyday somehow helped. Aged 16, Alicia left school and trained as a chef. A variety of jobs followed before she joined the NHS in 1993. Alicia has been a ward administrator for thirtee-one years, making appointments, discharging patients and helping the doctors. She loves helping people and solving problems. The NHS has changed a lot over this time, but Alicia has been a constant.

Alicia Weekes – ward administrator on Charles Pannett Ward, St Mary’s

Alicia Weekes was born in Barbados in 1957. Her mother came to work in the UK for Lyons Cakes as part of the Windrush Generation. Initially, Alicia didn’t see her mother for five years, however Alicia and her two brothers were reunited with her mother in London when Alicia was 10.
When she arrived Alicia cried a lot because she missed the freedom of Barbados. However, looking out the window, the fascination and novelty of seeing the milkman arrive everyday somehow helped. Aged 16, Alicia left school and trained as a chef. A variety of jobs followed before she joined the NHS in 1993.
Alicia has been a ward administrator for thirtee-one years, making appointments, discharging patients and helping the doctors. She loves helping people and solving problems. The NHS has changed a lot over this time, but Alicia has been a constant.

Open Britain x NHS Imperial Trust Collaboration - Kui Kee Lam -– aAssociate pPathology pPractitioner, Charing Cross Kui Kee Lam was born in Hong Kong. The UKnited Kingdom has granted Hong Kong Nnationals the right to live here if they who hold a British National Overseas Passport –, something they had to apply for before 1997 when Hong Kong was returned to China, the right to live here. The well reported crackdown on civil liberties and freedom of speech and a deep unhappiness with his two children’s education in Hong Kong, led to Kui and his family moving to South LondonSutton in 2021. Kui has been working in this field for more than 20 years but in order to reach the level he heldwas in Hong Kong, he must improve his English further. Kui works in hHistopathology or cellular pathology, which is. Histopathology is the diagnosis and study of diseases of the tissues, and involves examining cells under a microscope. Kui is responsible for embedding, trimming, cutting, block checking, labelling and filing specimens so they can be sent to athe consultant for diagnosis, mostly in oncology but also post-mortem.

Kui Kee Lam -– aAssociate pPathology pPractitioner, Charing Cross

Kui Kee Lam was born in Hong Kong. The UKnited Kingdom has granted Hong Kong Nnationals the right to live here if they who hold a British National Overseas Passport –, something they had to apply for before 1997 when Hong Kong was returned to China, the right to live here. The well reported crackdown on civil liberties and freedom of speech and a deep unhappiness with his two children’s education in Hong Kong, led to Kui and his family moving to South LondonSutton in 2021.
Kui has been working in this field for more than 20 years but in order to reach the level he heldwas in Hong Kong, he must improve his English further.
Kui works in hHistopathology or cellular pathology, which is. Histopathology is the diagnosis and study of diseases of the tissues, and involves examining cells under a microscope. Kui is responsible for embedding, trimming, cutting, block checking, labelling and filing specimens so they can be sent to athe consultant for diagnosis, mostly in oncology but also post-mortem.

Open Britain x NHS Imperial Trust Collaboration - Ruth Lindsay -– sSenior sStaff nNurse/wWard sSister on Charles Pannett ward, St Mary’s Ruth Lindsay was born in Negril, Jamaica. She came to the UK aged eighteent 18 year oldeighteen to study and visit relatives. She initially studied social work and spent two years working with children, but said it ‘that felt more like policing than caring’. Ruth decided her real calling was as a nurse. DuringAs part of her post-graduate nursing degree, Ruth did a placement on the Charles Pannett Ward at, St Mary’s Hospital and jokingly recalls that it was not an experience that she particularly enjoyed. She jokingly remembers it not being an experience she particularly enjoyed or a place she wanted to work. When Covid-19 hit, Ruth had one more placement to complete her degree. In a time of national emergency, the gGovernment decided to give student nurses the option to be on the front -line. Ruth grabbed it and found herself back onin Charles Pannett Ward. ‘Different and challenging times’ led to a different experience and soon after she was offered a permanent position. Three years later she’s still there and loving it.

Ruth Lindsay -– sSenior sStaff nNurse/wWard sSister on Charles Pannett ward, St Mary’s

Ruth Lindsay was born in Negril, Jamaica. She came to the UK aged eighteent 18 year oldeighteen to study and visit relatives.
She initially studied social work and spent two years working with children, but said it ‘that felt more like policing than caring’. Ruth decided her real calling was as a nurse. DuringAs part of her post-graduate nursing degree, Ruth did a placement on the Charles Pannett Ward at, St Mary’s Hospital and jokingly recalls that it was not an experience that she particularly enjoyed. She jokingly remembers it not being an experience she particularly enjoyed or a place she wanted to work.
When Covid-19 hit, Ruth had one more placement to complete her degree. In a time of national emergency, the gGovernment decided to give student nurses the option to be on the front -line. Ruth grabbed it and found herself back onin Charles Pannett Ward. ‘Different and challenging times’ led to a different experience and soon after she was offered a permanent position. Three years later she’s still there and loving it.

Open Britain x NHS Imperial Trust Collaboration - Omar Moalem – porter, Charing Cross Omar Moalem is from Mogadishu, Somalia. He used to be a farmer growing goat feed and vegetables, but then in 1999 the war came and he and his wife had to flee. Omar’s wife is a cleaner at Hammersmith Hospital. Omar was a stay-at-home dad to seven children before looking for a job. The NHS has English Language proficiency requirements that international healthcare workers need to pass before being able to progress so the first step was to improve his English Omar has now been a porter at the Trust for two years and is responsible for moving patients and equipment around the hospital.

Omar Moalem – porter, Charing Cross

Omar Moalem is from Mogadishu, Somalia. He used to be a farmer growing goat feed and vegetables, but then in 1999 the war came and he and his wife had to flee.
Omar’s wife is a cleaner at Hammersmith Hospital. Omar was a stay-at-home dad to seven children before looking for a job. The NHS has English Language proficiency requirements that international healthcare workers need to pass before being able to progress so the first step was to improve his English Omar has now been a porter at the Trust for two years and is responsible for moving patients and equipment around the hospital.

Open Britain x NHS Imperial Trust Collaboration - Manar Al-Tameemi – trainee hospital pharmacist, St Mary’s Manar Al-Tameemi was born in Baghdad, Iraq in 2000. Her parents migrated to Belgium to escape the war and then to London. As young as 16, Manar knew she wanted to be a pharmacist. She stumbled upon ‘hospital pharmacy’ over ‘community pharmacy’ through a friend and felt drawn to it for ‘the special knowledge you acquire, the patient interaction and even its social standing. Manar excelled in her situational and judgement test and received a placement at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, which was her first choice.. She has one more exam in September before she becomes fully qualified. Manar loves Iraq and visits regularly. But life in the UK as a pharmacist is where she says her future lies.

Manar Al-Tameemi – trainee hospital pharmacist, St Mary’s

Manar Al-Tameemi was born in Baghdad, Iraq in 2000. Her parents migrated to Belgium to escape the war and then to London.
As young as 16, Manar knew she wanted to be a pharmacist. She stumbled upon ‘hospital pharmacy’ over ‘community pharmacy’ through a friend and felt drawn to it for ‘the special knowledge you acquire, the patient interaction and even its social standing. Manar excelled in her situational and judgement test and received a placement at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, which was her first choice.. She has one more exam in September before she becomes fully qualified.
Manar loves Iraq and visits regularly. But life in the UK as a pharmacist is where she says her future lies.

Open Britain x NHS Imperial Trust Collaboration - Carlotta Rimondo, - wWard nNurse, oOncology and Paleativepalliative wWard, Charing Cross Carlotta Rimondo, studied nursing in her hometown inof Florence, Italy. She met her boyfriend on her nursing degree and moved here to be with him and to learn English. Carlotta came to the UK pre-Brexit so in terms of her transition, . It was very easy, she just had to translate her degree certificates and give them to the ‘Nursing and Midwifery Council’ in order to practice. N, now things are harder with strict English exams and more hoops to jump through. As a Band- 6 ward sister she finds herself less patient -facing as she leads a team of five nurses and three healthcare assistants on every shift. Her ward has many long-term patients and those in need of end-of-life care. Other than her husband (the boyfriend she met in Florence) who is an ICU nurse on the floor above, medicine is not something that particularly runs in the family. That is the same boyfriend that she met back studying Nursing back in Florence. With a new baby on the scene, Carlotta has now moved to part-time Hhaving worked With 12twelve--hour shifts day and night previously, Carlotta now has a new baby has moved to part-time. previously. Not only has Carlotta settled in the UK, she has now grown new roots through her child. and a new baby on the scene Carlotta is now part-time. .

Carlotta Rimondo, - wWard nNurse, oOncology and Paleativepalliative wWard, Charing Cross

Carlotta Rimondo, studied nursing in her hometown inof Florence, Italy. She met her boyfriend on her nursing degree and moved here to be with him and to learn English.
Carlotta came to the UK pre-Brexit so in terms of her transition, . It was very easy, she just had to translate her degree certificates and give them to the ‘Nursing and Midwifery Council’ in order to practice. N, now things are harder with strict English exams and more hoops to jump through.
As a Band- 6 ward sister she finds herself less patient -facing as she leads a team of five nurses and three healthcare assistants on every shift. Her ward has many long-term patients and those in need of end-of-life care.
Other than her husband (the boyfriend she met in Florence) who is an ICU nurse on the floor above, medicine is not something that particularly runs in the family. That is the same boyfriend that she met back studying Nursing back in Florence. With a new baby on the scene, Carlotta has now moved to part-time Hhaving worked With 12twelve--hour shifts day and night previously, Carlotta now has a new baby has moved to part-time. previously. Not only has Carlotta settled in the UK, she has now grown new roots through her child. and a new baby on the scene Carlotta is now part-time.
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Open Britain x NHS Imperial Trust Collaboration - Father Blaise Amadi Blaze Armadi -– Roman Catholic cChaplain, Hammersmith Hospital As a child Blaise went to boarding school in Nigeria. As early as the age of 12 he was intrigued by the school Chaplain and the attention he garnered from those around him. HSo, he felt his calling. Blaise was a priest in Nigeria for seven years. He went as a supply priest to Italy before being called to the UK in 2012 to be an assistant-parish priest in various churches around London and Manchester. Father Blaise is a Vincentian Catholic priest , their calling is to work with the poor, the marginalised and the sick. The path to hospital chaplain was therefore an obvious one. Father Blaise cCelebrates Mass, and the sacrament of reconciliation in the hospital chapel as well as providing spiritual and pastoral support for patients and their families. He also administers Notably administering the last rites so that those passing ‘do not feel abandoned in their final moments’.

Father Blaise Amadi Blaze Armadi -– Roman Catholic cChaplain, Hammersmith Hospital

As a child Blaise went to boarding school in Nigeria. As early as the age of 12 he was intrigued by the school Chaplain and the attention he garnered from those around him. HSo, he felt his calling.
Blaise was a priest in Nigeria for seven years. He went as a supply priest to Italy before being called to the UK in 2012 to be an assistant-parish priest in various churches around London and Manchester.
Father Blaise is a Vincentian Catholic priest , their calling is to work with the poor, the marginalised and the sick. The path to hospital chaplain was therefore an obvious one.
Father Blaise cCelebrates Mass, and the sacrament of reconciliation in the hospital chapel as well as providing spiritual and pastoral support for patients and their families. He also administers Notably administering the last rites so that those passing ‘do not feel abandoned in their final moments’.

Open Britain x NHS Imperial Trust Collaboration