Diversity Steering Group Members
Islam Faqir MCPara (Chair)
Islam has worked within the NHS for over 23 years and has worked for Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) for 20 of those. During his time within YAS he has worked within PTS, A&E front line operations, EOC as a Major trauma Clinical Triage Coordinator, EOC Paramedic Senior Clinical Advisor and as a HEE Clinical Leadership Fellow, currently within YAS Academy where he is involved in various projects around training and development for staff. Islam also works as a CQC Specialist Advisor when called upon. During this time Islam has had publications at various conferences, both written and oral. He also recently had a publication in the BMJ of Technology and Advanced Learning.
As an experienced NHS professional, Islam has a passion for Equality related issues, he has helped develop policy at his current organisation and is an advocate in driving this agenda forward. His exposure is not limited to the NHS, he has in the past held the role of Vice-chair of the Black Members Group for Unison at a regional level and also the lead for Black & Disabled members at a branch level.
During his career he has faced some real challenges, suffering serious health complications and a kidney transplant some years ago. After receiving a transplant from his sibling, Islam has returned to work and to highlighting equality issues within his current organisation and within the trade union environment.
In experiencing direct racial and disability discrimination, he has highlighted these and looked to work strategically highlighting issues which are both unlawful and unfair to address these issues and stigmas. Islam has also implemented various actions within his current role to help address inequality around access to training, whilst also working within his current organisation and advising on positive actions to help address inequality.
Gemma Howlett MCPara (Vice Chair)
Gemma is a senior lecturer in Paramedic Sciences and has been in the ambulance service for 10 years.
“I am really passionate about making the profession more inclusive and more representative of the populations we serve and am involved in projects with my university to try and encourage a more representative student population. I am interested in finding out more about the barriers that exist to all minority groups within the profession and working to find solutions to these".
Gemma has an interest in service culture and has started to study this in the context of inclusion and representation.
"I am excited to be part of this group that includes a variety of backgrounds and experiences and believe that together we will make a real impact on the inclusivity and diversity of the profession by increasing awareness and leading change".
Graham Clark MCPara
I have been a member of the College since the start of my career in 2010 when I joined London Ambulance Service as a Student Paramedic having spent time in the private and voluntary sectors providing medical cover at events and Patient Transport Services.
I moved to the East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST) as a qualified Paramedic in 2013 and became elected as ‘Alternate Trustee’ for the College of Paramedics. 3 years later I was successfully elected to ‘Trustee’ representing a region which at the time represented 365 full members. I concluded my tenure as ‘Council Member’ in 2022 handing over a region of 1,600 full members.
I have had a number of exciting roles in my paramedic career so far, including the Hazardous Area Response Team, Emergency Department Paramedic, EEAST Recruitment Specialist, a Business Manager and more lately a Leading Operations Manager for EEAST.
I am extremely passionate about my continued responsibilities as the current Caretaker Chair of the College of Paramedics’ Diversity Steering Group and my position on the National Ambulance LGBT+ Network. I also Co-Chair the EEAST LGBT+ Staff Support Network. We are making real progress within these workstreams in relation to education and diversifying the paramedic profession and ambulance service. I know there is more work to be done, but working together as a team, we will improve the working lives of our colleagues and the care we as a profession give to our patients.
Rebecca Connolly MCPara
Rebecca is an Advanced Clinical Practitioner with Lincolnshire Community Health Services, currently undertaking a Masters degrees in both Advanced Practice and Psychology with a view to starting her Doctoral studies.
Rebecca is a Peer Mentor with the College of Paramedics and has been published in the field of gender dysphoria, speaking at numerous national and international clinical conferences. She holds memberships of the World Professional Association of Transgender Health, the Europe Association of Transgender Health, the College of Paramedics, the British Psychology Society, and associate membership of the British Association of Gender Identity Specialists. She also consults to various media and news organisations advocating exceptional gender expressions and hopes to help drive forward education, understanding and clinical excellence to paramedics.
Maisie Williams MCPara
Maisie is a frontline paramedic based in Bristol after graduating from Plymouth University 3 years ago.
She is a mentor for undergraduate students and a College of Paramedics liaison. Maisie’s passion and enthusiasm for gender, racial, socio-economic and political equality has led her to study Gender and International Relations at Master’s level alongside her work.
Her main reason for joining the Diversity Steering Group is to be an ally for those under-represented in our field of work and encouraging alteration of the dynamics so that our workforce better reflects our patient groups. Maisie experiences gender inequality but acknowledges that she has a platform that others may not have access to in order to champion equality and diversity within the paramedic profession.
Sharon Hardwick MCPara
Sharon started her career in West Midlands Ambulance Service as a cadet. She progressed though her technician and paramedic training internally, before joining Hereford and Worcester Ambulance Service as a Clinical Supervisor. After becoming an ambulance service tutor, Sharon worked alongside the University of Worcester to develop their new Paramedic Foundation Degree and subsequent BSc.
Whilst working for the University of Worcester, Sharon was successful in gaining her BSc(Hons) and MA in Education, which have helped further her development both clinically and as an educationalist.
In 2018 Sharon began working as a senior lecturer at Birmingham City University. Sharon has recently been offered a place to study her Professional Doctorate in Education, where she plans to focus on the support the paramedic student receives in clinical practice when they have received a learning difficulty diagnosis.
Sharon is looking forward to working with a group of like minded people and furthering the support and development of pre-hospital staff.
Colm Buckley MCPara
Colm is currently not working due to Long Covid.
He qualified in 2014 from the University of the West of England and has worked in many environments such as A&E, frontline and Clinical Hub work. He hopes to eventually specialise in Urgent and Primary Care and has an interest in paediatric pain management, and inter-agency working.
Colm was diagnosed with dyslexia as a young child and was later re-diagnosed with dyspraxia as a student Paramedic. He has a special interest in hidden disabilities and the disabilities act, particularly the impact of Ambulance Trust NQP/Paramedic recruitment policy versus University Student Paramedic recruitment. He is currently exploring, with the assistance of the College, doing a longitudinal study following students of diverse background from university to employment to identify barriers in this transitional phase.
Colm has moved back to Ireland and enjoys music, reading, photography and powerlifting.
James Bridge MCPara
James is a recent graduate of Hertfordshire University and a newly qualified paramedic with the London Ambulance Service (LAS).
James is on the autistic spectrum and has a particular interest in hidden disabilities and mental health. James is also passionate about mental health education and socio-economic equality.
“I joined the DSG as a student paramedic as I felt I had a lot of invaluable first-hand experiences of lower socio-economic status as well as mental health difficulties and discrimination. I am very motivated to help positive change for all ambulance service personnel.”
Matondo Manzeninga MCPara
Matondo is an HCPC registered paramedic working for the Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust (YAS).
“I have completed the Newly Qualified Paramedic (NQP) programme with YAS, which aims to support the NQP in their transition to a fully autonomous clinician. Previously I studied at the University of Greenwich - Bachelor of Science (BSc) (Hons) Paramedic Science.
I am passionate about delivering high quality paramedic pre-hospital emergency medicine care to all patient groups I encounter. I have a particular interest in mentoring, staff welfare and BME network. BME staff are underrepresented in the pre-hospital setting so I have a positive interest in driving forward race equality within the paramedic setting. As a BME member of staff I want to share experiences and issues affecting my work and professional development, with the hope this can eliminate disadvantages.
My main reason for joining the Diversity Steering Group as a young College of Paramedics BME member is wanting to be able to bring ideas and knowledge to help bring change to the NHS. I want to be able to bring back feedback and issues from operational BME staff to discuss with the group to enable that barriers are broken, and we all have equal opportunities within the paramedic profession.”