Interview with Dorcas Gwata, Head of Global Programmes at the Florence Nightingale Foundation

Dorcas is a staggering example of what we can achieve offering inspiration to Nurses and Mental Health Nurses. Nurses.co.uk was delighted at the opportunity to interview her and hope the product of the interview further carries the wave of positivity and inspiration that is Dorcas.

Can You Please Briefly Introduce Yourself By Explaining What Your Main Job Role or Mission is now?

My name is Dorcas Gwata, I am a Mental Health Nurse, my current role is Head of Global Programmes at the Florence Nightingale Foundation, my role and vision is to ensure every nurse and midwife around the globe has access to leadership programmes.

This is important for equity, equality and staff retention.

Outline When You Were A Nurse, Where You Worked, What Specialism You Worked In or Branch Of Nursing?

I have been a practising Mental Health Nurse since 2000, I have worked in secure units, rehabilitation, community, CAMHS and A & E in St Mary’s Hospital, Imperial NHS Trust. I mostly enjoy frontline A & E work.

Take Us Through Your First Jobs And What Attracted You To Working In Care As A Care Assistant And What You Found Enjoyable?

I worked as a hospital cleaner in Edinburgh, that was my first entry into the healthcare system, I remember watching nurses walk around in their elegant uniforms and thinking I so wanted to be a nurse. I moved to London and worked as a Health Care Assistant for some years and then did my nursing training.

How Did The Role Of Care Assistant Lead To You Pursuing Becoming A Nurse?

When I was a Health Care Assistant I looked after a patient who had Anorexia Nervosa, we struck a good therapeutic relationship. I came from a vulnerable continent in Africa, she had her own vulnerabilities. She encouraged me to become a nurse and I followed my dream.

At the time that I migrated to the UK, the HIV crisis was wreaking havoc in Sub-Sahara Africa, I lost 3 brothers to HIV/AIDS. This context led me to the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine where I did my Masters in Public Health.

My heart and career sit between the UK and Africa, hence my career in global health.

Can You Take Us Through Your Nursing Career - Where You Worked, What You Learnt, What Your Inspirations Were?

I have worked in many places including Africa and Asia. In 2013, I was approached to work as Clinical Nurse Specialist for the Westminster Integrated Gangs Unit.

My role specifically looked at mental health needs of young people involved or exposed to gangs and youth violence in London.

Having worked for AFRUCA, a children charity that advocates for rights of African children in the UK, this role was fitting. Many of the adolescents that I looked after were from a minority background, they were deeply vulnerable, many had anxiety, depression, trauma from stabbing or being chased, many girls were exposed to sexual exploitation and were vulnerable to self harm. Some of these adolescents had ADHD, Autism, and Hyperactivity yet they struggled to access mental health services, partly because these services are not designed with them in mind.

My research explored ways in which policy makers and wider stakeholders could bridge gaps to ensure these adolescents have equal access to mental health services.

When Did You Decide That You Wanted To Use Your Nursing Experience And Skills And Branch Out Elsewhere?

I came from a very charitable family, both my parents were teachers, the house was always full of people they deemed vulnerable.

In my later years, the Victoria Climbe case and the Steven Lawrence cases stayed with me, I knew I wanted to focus on social and cultural determinants of health and to bring global thinking to our clinical practises.

I had the great opportunity to work on the Zimbabwean Friendship Bench Project, a renowned innovative project addressing mental health in excluded communities.

Talk Us Through Your Job Roles And Experiences Following Your Nursing Career, And Explain Why You Wanted To Get Involved With Each Organisation. What Advice Would You Give Someone Thinking About Working In Care Or Nursing?

Nursing is a very intimate and humanistic role, nurses are there at the beginning of life and there at the end, nursing is an ever giving field.

It is as hard, as it is fulfilling. If you care about people, you are compassionate and driven to leave a legacy of care in this world, nursing is for you.

Nurses have a good social contract with society, we are well respected and honoured.

COVID19 has shown us how unequal the world is, for BAME nurses (black, Asian and minority ethnic) these inequalities have cost lives.

I would say this is a great time to be a BAME nursing leader, this is the time to drive the change we want and inspire the next generation of leaders.

What Advice Would You Give Any Nurses Who Are Interested In Taking Their Experiences To Other Organisations, As You Have?

The most competent nurses in the world are those who are innovative and are actively seeking opportunities.

Nurses who are bold enough to work within the intersectionality of health, culture, technology, and climate change are incredibly progressive.

The current challenges in the world require nurses who will step up to our global challenges and tackle climate change, health inequalities, racism and poor policies in an ever complex geopolitical space.

Now more than ever nurses must lean in and leave a legacy just as those who came before us did.