Since joining the Civil Service, I have had the opportunity to work on a wide range of fascinating and ground-breaking legal issues. At DHSC, for example, I led the legal work on the complex and sensitive Charlie Gard case and others involving the best interests of terminally ill children. I also advise ministers on NHS, Social Care and Mental Health reform. Most recently, I’ve been helping the government to navigate the complex legal issues generated by the Covid-19 pandemic. It’s been incredibly complex work, done at breakneck speed, but no doubt has been one of the proudest moments of my career.
Looking back, the work I’ve relished the most has been that which has changed the nation’s culture and the way we think, and made society fairer, particularly where there has been a positive diversity and inclusion aspect. This includes kicking off the work to establish civil partnerships and enabling all-female MP shortlists to ensure better gender balance in the Commons. As one of the few directors in the Civil Service from a BAME background, I am conscious that we need to do more to drive change within the Civil Service too. I was one of the founding members of the Race to the Top network for BAME civil servants for precisely this reason – we have worked hard to support departmental boards to introduce diverse recruitment panels across government, and sponsorship and mutual mentoring schemes for junior staff, as well as supporting those below the SCS to apply for SCS posts.
As a mother of four, I have drawn upon my personal experiences to champion a new Parents’ Network in the Government Legal Department, to help parents identify transferable skills, spotlight LGBT parenting and create a buddy scheme. I also recently shared my story within the department of losing my baby late in pregnancy and I act as a buddy for miscarriage and stillbirth. While I found writing about the death of my son very difficult to do, I wanted to break the taboo that surrounds baby loss. As a result of this focus we have produced guidance in GLD to support bereaved parents, their line managers and colleagues, and we are working with networks across the Civil Service to support people through this hidden grief.
My parents originally came to the UK as immigrants, to staff up the newly created NHS; public service is in my blood. And, particularly at a time when Covid-19 has had a tremendous impact on BAME communities, I think more needs to be done to encourage those from a wider range of backgrounds to apply to the Civil Service and the public sector more broadly. More diverse workforces not only provide challenge to majority views but give us a stronger insight into the impact of proposed policies. We all need to do our bit to support our nation to be the best it can be – as my parents did as immigrants working in the NHS, and as so many other immigrants have done.
Sometimes the rhetoric can make it feel like people of colour are victims. But my experience runs counter to that. I have line managed, mentored, and coached many people from a BAME background over the years. And I can confidently say that they are amongst the most focused, powerful and intrinsically resilient people I have worked with because of what they have often had to encounter. They are also often amongst the most engaged and committed because they are determined to make a positive difference. And that’s the reason why any smart organisation should want to tap into that group of people – because they can bring so much strength to any workplace. Because of the barriers they have overcome, they have the guts and determination to succeed and deliver, which often can make them the real heroes of any organisation.
(Mel Nebhrajani is a Legal Director of the Government Legal Department, currently leading the team that advises the Department of Health and Social Care)
