Dr Ada Hui, Skellern Lecture 2024 - "Breaking the cycles of injustice and servitude"

Throughout history, nursing has encountered numerous challenges relating to equality, identity and career progression (Hinkley et al., 2023; WRES, 2023). More recently, challenges have been recognised for nursing research, despite research having the capacity to save lives (NHSE, 2021). This has grave implications for patients, communities and society. People with protected characteristics, such as gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation and religious beliefs, are disproportionately affected by health and social inequalities (NHS RHO, 2021; 2022). Multiple socioeconomic deprivations are likely to be experienced concurrently, such as education, housing employment and finances (NHS RHO, 2021; 2022). People with protected characteristics include nurses as well as patients. Nurses’ capacity to care are called into question when working in challenging environments and in spaces where rates of burnout are particularly high (Hui, 2016; 2017). Patients are labelled ‘difficult’, ‘disengaged’ and ‘difficult to reach’ when choosing not to engage with services that do not (positively) serve them (Hui et al., 2020; Hui et al., 2021). Research, education, policies and practices are each informed by evidence. However, ‘evidence’ becomes questionable when nurses and patients, and more specifically, nurses and patients with protected characteristics, are excluded or lack the opportunities to participate in meaningful ways. This lecture will explore contemporary challenges focusing on the implications, effects and outcomes for nurses and patients experiencing injustice and servitude within the very institutions that seek to employ and support them. An intra-disciplinary approach will be used to investigate how institutional injustice manifests; how cycles of injustice and servitude are created and maintained, and how these might be disrupted to enable system transformation. Using critical socio-political theories, this lecture will examine institutions, identities and practices in attempts to rebalance and address contemporary shortcomings and future directions for nursing research, education, policy and practice.

Brief bio

Dr Ada Hui is a mental health nurse, sociologist and coach. Ada’s career has spanned clinical practice, research and higher education. Most recently, she joined the Royal College of Nursing, as the UK Professional Lead for Research, where she is leading the development and implementation of the RCN’s research strategy. Ada is a renowned researcher with a drive for tackling institutional injustice in research, health, education, policy and society. She has spent her career working with disadvantaged communities to address health and social inequalities. Her work uses narratives and interdisciplinary approaches to challenge and disrupt the status quo; to raise awareness of seldom heard voices; working towards greater inclusion and representation for people who are under-served.