University Hospital Southampton event brings together Portuguese-speaking community

University Hospital Southampton (UHS) has hosted its first-ever event celebrating the Portuguese-speaking community, recognising the significant contribution of Portuguese and Lusophone colleagues to healthcare and the wider community.

The staff-led initiative brought together NHS professionals, community leaders, educational partners and other local organisations to highlight the achievements, dedication and positive impact of Portuguese-speaking staff across UHS.

The programme included presentations from Councillor Kat Barbour, Sheriff of Southampton and Ana e Brito Maneira from the Portuguese Consulate. Guests also enjoyed a cultural reception featuring traditional food and refreshments kindly provided by local Portuguese businesses.

A key focus of the event was creating opportunities to connect, share experiences and discuss issues important to attendees. Conversations explored opportunities for closer collaboration between UHS, the Portuguese Consulate and the Camões Institute, which promotes Portuguese language and culture worldwide. These discussions helped strengthen existing relationships and identify future initiatives that could benefit both staff and the wider community.

By bringing together healthcare professionals, community representatives and partner organisations, the event laid the groundwork for future collaboration and initiatives that will continue to support the Portuguese-speaking community while contributing to the ongoing development of UHS.

Antonio De Cruz Pinto, advanced clinical practitioner at UHS and one of the organisers of the event, said: “We would like to express our sincere thanks to everyone who attended and contributed to making this event such a success. We are especially grateful to colleagues at UHS for their support in championing this initiative and recognising the value of cultural diversity within our workforce. It is a source of great pride to be part of an organisation where inclusion, collaboration and community engagement are truly celebrated.

“The enthusiasm, participation and commitment of attendees helped make this event a memorable celebration of the Portuguese-speaking community and its contribution to UHS and Southampton. We look forward to building on this success and continuing to strengthen these partnerships for the benefit of our staff, patients and communities.”

Steve Harris, chief people officer, UHS, said: “It was a pleasure and an honour to be invited to this event, I am grateful to Antionio and his colleagues for bringing this together. UHS has staff working from over 100 different nationalities and the Portuguese-speaking community, which is over 350 strong, is a critical part of our workforce covering many different roles.

“One of our key goals is to make UHS a place where everyone feels they belong, so holding events like this is a fantastic way to build community, networks and to celebrate the diversity of our trust.”

Louisa Green, interim deputy chief nursing officer, said: “I was delighted to attend this event and it was a pleasure to spend time with so many colleagues and community partners. I really enjoyed listening to people’s stories, answering questions and learning more about the experiences of our Portuguese-speaking community.

“The event reflected the warmth, talent and dedication that Portuguese-speaking colleagues bring to UHS every day, and I am proud that we could come together to celebrate this and strengthen our connections for the future.”