FEATURE EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY
Analysis
The experiences as a student could be due to curiosity
on the part of my fellow students, many of who
came from small towns and villages, and this was the
second main difference.
When I was called a ’n****r’ by the patient on
placement, I believe the situation should have been
handled seriously, the patient asked to apologise, and
a plan put in place to ensure I was informed of how the
situation would be followed up.
None of this happened – it was a complete
mismanagement of the situation and moreover a
shame. This could be identified as an example of
systemic racism.
With the patient who wanted ‘a nice, white
occupational therapist’ I did attempt to discuss this,
but the person I spoke to appeared so uncomfortable
that they shut it down, when normally we could discuss
work matters quite freely. This was disappointing;
discussing it would have created an opportunity for
that person to commiserate with me, but alas, this
opportunity was lost.
These matters are a concern because, as
occupational therapists, we work with a range of
diverse populations and it is important to understand
our own biases so that we can do something about
them.
My experiences have shown me that some
occupational therapists can have deep seated biases,
while some are blissfully ignorant, and both can impact
on the quality of care we as occupational therapists
provide and the quality of care our clients receive.
Conclusion
I wanted to openly reflect on these experiences to
shed light on what remains a little discussed matter;
discrimination in occupational therapy and working
relationships.
I have deliberately shared my personal experiences
as a way to do this, reflecting on some of the powerful
feelings these experiences left with me.
I know there will be many others with similar
experiences across a range of protected characteristics.
I believe that discussion and open dialogue about these
experiences can lead to understanding, without which
we remain ignorant and stagnant.
My wish is to encourage occupational therapists
to have these conversations. It is worthy of note
that, in my experience, racial discrimination seems
the most difficult to discuss of the protected
characteristics.
It is our responsibility to support and be supported
through such issues. As a manager, it is important
to take the lead through what can be a difficult and
uncomfortable process.
The following quote perfectly encapsulates my
experience: ‘I never really thought of myself as
“Black” until I started my current job. I guess I was
very fortunate that as a kid, I lived in an ethnically
diverse part of London. Moving out of the big
city however, I started to experience not overt
discrimination but lots of minor incidents. Not being
invited to things, an inference that I was different,
which put me on the margins’ (Race in Counselling
Contexts).
Action plan
If these types of situations arose again, and no doubt
they will, then I would openly discuss it with a person
in authority, and if they did not take up the matter
accordingly, I would put it in writing to their manager
and be prepared to file a grievance.
However, I have learned that it is worth selecting
your battles, and what you ‘should’ do can be very
different from what you feel capable of at the time.
My experiences, at a minimum, have highlighted
the need for personalised discussion or training
regarding diversity and inclusion.
The more we discuss these concerns, the easier
it becomes to discuss, and the better we can
work towards the goal of truly inclusive practice in
occupational therapy.
A useful approach is to begin with a situation
where you have experienced discrimination of some
sort: What support would you have considered
appropriate? And what did you receive?
Reference
Gibbs G (1988) Learning by doing: A guide to teaching and
learning methods. London: Further Education Unit
Awele Odeh, independent occupational
therapist and member of the RCOT Specialist
Section – Independent Practice. Email: awele@
theworkstressbuster.co.uk
The author would like readers to know that
this article was written before the death of
George Floyd in the US, however this and
the subsequent global have served to shed
light on this issue. Awele Odeh is happy to
engage in conversation with anyone who
wishes to discuss anything raised in this
article, and to consult on diversity training
for staff.
22 OTnews July 2020