This South Asian Heritage Month, we sat down with our colleagues to learn about what they enjoy most about working at NHS Lothian, the values they have in common with their colleagues, the food that remind them of home, and the traditions that help them stay connected to their culture – embracing this year’s theme ‘Unity in diversity’.
For Dr Ishwinder Thethy, Consultant and Education Lead for Acute and General Medicine at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and Training Programme Director for South East Scotland, South Asian Heritage Month is a reminder of the importance of inclusion and belonging. Describing herself as a “triaspora”, she explains that she is of Indian origin, was born and raised in Africa, and now lives in Scotland.
“All through my life, I have been exposed to people from different backgrounds. It gives me a sense of belonging and makes it easy for me to connect with people.”
Beena Poulose, Lead Research Nurse at the Western General Hospital, moved to Scotland from Kerala, India, in 2005. She fondly recalls how welcomed she felt when she arrived.
“I found this country and the people friendly, helpful and so lovely.”
Over the years, Beena has seen first-hand how effective communication helps bring people together.
“Clear and open communication is important when working with people from different backgrounds, and that aligns with the NHS Lothian values of dignity and respect.”
Dr Amina Joarder, Paediatric Trainee at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, says her role is driven by a common purpose shared by healthcare workers everywhere.
“Ultimately, no matter where we come from, we all work towards the same goal – helping children get better. When they go back home happily, that makes my day.”
Amina remembers one occasion when she was feeling homesick and decided to call her mother for a taste of home. After asking for an authentic Bengali biryani recipe, she cooked a large batch and shared it with colleagues.
“It was so nice to see everyone enjoying authentic Bangladeshi biryani,” she said, reflecting on how food can help build connections across cultures.
For Hisban Fiaz, Perioperative Practitioner in RIE Theatres, caring for patients is at the heart of what he does every day.
“I love my job because I want to be there for patients during some of the toughest and most important moments of their lives, and I want to help in a way that improves their health.”
Meanwhile, Hemapriya Dhamodaran, Team Leader and Workshop Manager in Medical Physics at the Western General Hospital, believes one of the most rewarding aspects of working in NHS Lothian is being part of a diverse, multidisciplinary team.
She says that working alongside colleagues from different cultures and backgrounds allows everyone to learn from one another while supporting each other both professionally and personally. Through those experiences, she has built friendships, created a sense of family in a different country, and adapted by embracing new perspectives.
While every story is unique, one message came through clearly: our differences enrich our workplace. We are grateful to our colleagues for their shared commitment to kindness, compassion, respect and teamwork that they show every day.
Watch the video to hear the stories of our wonderful colleagues:
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