Two Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (ASPH) staff members attended a reception held at Buckingham Palace by King Charles III. The event marked the King’s 75th birthday in addition to the NHS 75th anniversary and celebrated the contribution of the NHS’s internationally educated workforce.
ASPH staff members Kay-Ann Mantack-Johnson and Nikolaos Tranka attended the event held on 14 November 2023, where they met the King and other members of the Royal Family.
Kay-Ann began her nursing career in 2006, in Jamaica, where she trained and licensed as a Registered Nurse (2006), Registered Midwife (2009), Family Nurse Practitioner MSc (2014) and Nursing instructor (part-time). She joined ASPH in October 2019 as a Registered Adult Nurse, before joining the Professional Development team in 2021 as a Clinical Practice Facilitator (Band 6) and then Clinical Practice Educator for Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs) (Band7) in 2022.
Speaking about her time at the event, Kay-Ann said: “I was deeply honoured by my selection to attend a reception for Internationally Educated Nurses and Midwives at Buckingham Palace on 14th November 2023. This was quite significant for me and others who attended, as he chose to celebrate a part of his 75th birthday with Internationally Educated Nurses.
“It also provided ‘one in a lifetime’ opportunities for networking within the international community and to hear stories of IENs struggles and successes. What was motivating and exceptional for me was to share my own journey, and experience the pride, drive and determination of IENs to make the journey and transition of their fellow IENs better than their own.”
Nikolaos is an internationally qualified, Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registered physiotherapist. He joined ASPH in 2021 from the private health sector, and he is currently working as
Assistant Service Manager for Therapies at ASPH and is a Fellow with the International Recruitment Fellowship – South East Region.
Reflecting on his time at the event, Nikolaos said: “It was a surreal moment to converse with royalty, highlighting the importance of the even; and the conversations among the attendees were equally enriching, as we exchanged stories, challenges, and experiences from our diverse backgrounds in the NHS.
“Through this event, the King emphasized the immense value, importance, and commitment to diversity in the NHS, acknowledging the wide array of backgrounds and that enrich and strengthens our NHS.
“The Kings’ recognition stood in stark contrast to the often-noted lack of diversity in NHS leadership and serves as a subtle, yet powerful, call to action for greater inclusivity in the NHS, highlighting an area for growth and improvement.
“Overall, the experience was not just an honour, but a humbling reminder of the global healthcare community's interconnectedness and the collective effort required in delivering an NHS fit for the 21st century.''
