Team King’s celebrates UK Disability History Month

18 November 2024 - UK Disability History Month runs from 14 November to 20 December 2024, and this year will focus on disability, livelihood and employment.

Kate Mordey, a speech and language therapist at King’s College Hospital, has been helping teams across the Trust support staff members with disabilities. Kate said: “I recently took part in the Calibre Leadership Programme, which aims to help disabled people develop their confidence and find ways to utilise their lived experience of disability to become leaders in their workplace.” The confidence Kate felt they built during this course inspired them to suggest ways King’s can support staff members with disabilities or long term health conditions.

Kate explained: “I hope that by advocating for different types of support, including disability passports and the Workplace Reasonable Adjustment Plan (WAP), I can help others with disabilities thrive at work.”

In recognition of their work to support disabled colleagues, Kate recently won a King’s Inclusion Award in the category of Advancing Disability Inclusion.

Gavin Dean, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Lead and Co-Chair of King’s Able, the Trust’s staff disability network, added: “We want everyone who works at King’s to have a positive experience and feel supported in their role. Kate has worked extremely hard to remove the barriers faced by disabled colleagues, helping make sure people are treated fairly.

“As well as advocating for support for disabled staff members, Kate has also given up their time to contribute to a new reasonable adjustments guide and toolkit for line managers at King’s. They have also taken part in training for managers so they have the latest advice on how to support their staff. Without a doubt, by sharing their lived experience, Kate has inspired and encouraged others, helping make sure that every member of Team King’s can do their best at work.”

The King’s Able (disability) staff network aims to help improve the experience of disabled staff working at King’s by providing peer support and advice, giving staff a platform to have a voice that counts, and working closely with the Trust on disability related projects and agendas.