‘Every patient is different’: why inclusivity is at the heart of Sheffield Hallam’s healthcare courses

When students are trained to recognise diversity and offer personalised care, it results in better health outcomes for the communities they go on to serve. At Sheffield Hallam University, that ethos is powering the next generation of healthcare professionals

Lamiya Khokon didn’t ever plan to study radiotherapy and oncology. The third-year Sheffield Hallam student had her heart set on medicine, but when she missed the grades, she went through clearing. “I like helping people and I like technology. Radiotherapy oncology felt like a natural fit.” Fast-forward three years and she’s just been named Learner of the Year at the Society of Radiographers annual awards, winning praise from the judges for her academic excellence, leadership in healthcare advocacy and commitment to fostering inclusivity.

“Every patient we come across is different in their own way. We can’t just apply a one-size-fits-all approach,” Khokon says. “But there are gaps in understanding that patient experience – whether it’s their background, factors like anxiety and PTSD, or previous bad experiences within healthcare. I’ve seen how important empathy and personalised care can be.”

Students trained in inclusive environments are better prepared to serve diverse communities, which leads to better health outcomes and reduces inequality. A healthcare professional trained on symptoms described only on white skin, for example, may miss the same condition on patients from ethnic minorities. Other factors such as income, gender, disability and social inclusion can also have an impact on healthcare. A study by Cancer Research UK found that more than 30,000 extra cases of cancer in the UK each year (or 80 diagnoses each day) are attributable to socioeconomic factors. Researchers have also found that some people from minority ethnic backgrounds wait up to six weeks longer for a cancer diagnosis compared with white individuals.

How Sheffield Hallam reflects local communities

At Sheffield Hallam University, one of the UK’s biggest providers of nursing, midwifery and allied health professional courses, inclusivity begins with widening participation. “We do a lot of work with our local care providers to prepare a workforce that reflects the local community and we undertake outreach activity to promote health and social care courses in local schools and colleges,” says Dr Jo Lidster, head of Sheffield Hallam’s School of Health and Social Care.

The university supports more than 4,000 students on undergraduate, postgraduate, apprenticeships and continuing professional development opportunities in subjects as varied as art psychotherapy, nursing and midwifery, paramedic science, and social work. Hallam also offers foundation years that provide a pathway for students to enter health-related degrees when they do not meet the traditional entry requirements. Staff and students in the school work together to champion their own inclusive initiatives – the university recently designed and introduced a uniform hijab in tandem with a student group, for example, after Muslim student nurses expressed concern they wouldn’t be able to wear their hijab on clinical placement because of infection control guidelines.

Interprofessional working is also encouraged with shared common modules across all programmes. “It really helps students learn with, from and about each other, which is a helpful way for us to prepare future health and social care graduates, as this reflects how professionals work together in practice,” Lidster says.

Students spend their time studying on campus and on placements, which the university organises with a range of health and social care partners including the NHS, charities, community care and private and independent organisations. Before students venture into real-world settings, they participate in simulated placements to build their confidence. Facilities include a 12-bed ward, mock operating room, interactive patient mannequins, an ultrasound simulation suite, birthing pool, and virtual reality facilities.

Inclusivity is important here too – the mannequins, for example, represent a range of patients including different ages, minority ethnic backgrounds, learning disabilities and a transgender mannequin. Other simulations will involve actors or real service users to help students develop certain skills. “We can run scenarios with the mannequins so they behave in a certain way and because the ward area looks, sounds, and even smells like a real ward, it adds that fidelity to the experience,” Lidster says.

Khokon found the simulated placements incredibly helpful. “It really pushed us into the deep end without having to be in a clinical setting where there’s a lot of pressure.” She also found that the experience gave her more empathy for her patients, as she was able to put herself in her patients’ shoes. “We had the opportunity to have a thermoplastic mask made, for example, which a lot of head and neck cancer patients have. Wearing it can be really restrictive and claustrophobic.”

Preparing students for career success

Hallam is passionate about preparing students to enter health and social care professions, explains Lidster. This year, Hallam launched its “career promise”, which guarantees students a paid 12-month internship if they haven’t found work a year after they’ve successfully completed their course. In fact, 99% of the university’s health and social care students are in work or further study 15 months after graduating, according to the most recent Graduate Outcomes Survey.

“We work hard to help students build resilience, reflective practice and their professional identities,” Lidster says. Every student receives personalised career support, which includes help developing employability and interview skills, CV writing, and more. The range of placements offered also helps students consider more non-traditional areas for employment when they graduate. “And we have job fairs, which again gives students exposure to other organisations that employ health and social care professionals.”

Khokon isn’t sure what her future holds but she’s considering progressing her studies further to become an oncologist or to specialise as a head and neck radiotherapist. She recently travelled to St Vincent’s hospital in Melbourne for a two-week placement as part of her course, which she really enjoyed. “Even after studying this degree for three years, I’m simply in awe of how advanced technology can help treat cancer,” she says.

According to Lidster, the number of applicants choosing to enter health and social care courses has fluctuated over the years, and is influenced by factors such as national campaigns, the pandemic, funding changes and the news headlines of the day. “Health and social care courses can be challenging to study,” she says, “but they are deeply rewarding if you’re curious about people, compassionate in your approach, and open to personal and professional growth.”

Find out more about Sheffield Hallam at shu.ac.uk