Stay and Thrive: Joyce Owusu Bempah

Joyce Owusu Bempah, is one of the Trusts international midwives from Ghana . Developing a career in the UK, Joyce joined our trusts Stay and Thrive program to help other international healthcare colleagues get settled...

I am Joyce Owusu Bempah a Ghanaian educated midwife, who currently works in the maternity department at Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust.

I started my career in the UK at Harrogate and District NHS Trust and applied for the role of a midwife with the Trust for proximity reasons, as I live in Wakefield.

At the trust I now work as a midwife, in the specialist role of supporting internationally educated midwives who are joining the trust to make sure they are supported through their transition journey.

There is a whole world of support available for internally educated healthcare colleagues in the trust, especially though the Stay and Thrive team. The team is comprised of people who have a great understanding of the organisation and care about the development of all international recruits.

Within my time, I have been supported through a good workplace culture and found it a nice environment to work in. The Stay and Thrive team promote a sense of belonging as an internationally educated member of staff. Pastoral support available which gives diverse opportunities to develop and network.

Members of the team serve as mentors and signposts to all the other developmental opportunities and support systems, which all international healthcare staff can benefit from. I have had the opportunity to be on leadership programs such as the RCN Clinical Leadership program and the Fellowship program, which I am still undertaking. I have also been supported on my development journey by being released on secondment with NHSE NEY region on the regional international recruitment and OSCE training bootcamp.

I have learnt a great deal and give thanks to this fantastic and supportive team I work closely with. I have found across the trust teams are committed to supporting equality for all staff.

I thank the trust for the great opportunities I have been given, and encourage those interested in a career with Mid Yorkshire to join us!

You can learn more about the Stay and Thrive programme and the support offered by the trust, here.