“I’m proud to be an ethnic nurse led by giants and true allies” - Jazzi Chopra-Povall receives special award

Congratulations to Deputy Chief Nursing Officer, Jazzi Chopra-Povall, who recently scooped up a prestigious Leadership and Service Award for her regional and national work as the Chief Nurse Officer Chief Midwifery Officer Black Minority Ethnic Strategic Advisory Group Lead (CNO CMiDO BME SAG).

The group consists of nurses and midwives who provide strategic advice to support equity issues and influence the delivery of policies and practices that impact BME communities/workforce in the NHS.

During her time as regional lead for the South West, the group completed an incredible amount of work, including piloting the Stay and Thrive International Recruitment Programme, establishing the Lived Expert by Experience Group with band five to seven midwives and nurses who informed the Southwest Ethnic Minority Action Plan and setting up a regional Shared- Decision Making Council, seeking views from internationally recruited nurses and midwives on how to inform decisions that affect.

On the day, the group were invited to the House of Commons, where they were joined by the-then Chief Nursing Officer for England, Dame Ruth May, and former Chair of CNO CMiDO BME SAG, Felicia Kwaku OBE.

Jazzi said: “It was an honour to receive the award. With that level of support and allies around you, you feel like you’re not alone in your journey towards equity.

“I’m proud to be an ethnic nurse led by giants and true allies. This award signifies not just my own journey but the challenges many other ethnic nurses have. A message to them is ‘you are not alone, keep on striving high, find your giant and don’t give up’.”