Women comprise nearly three-quarters of the NHS workforce and play a critical role in the healthcare industry more broadly. Yet, despite this, senior leadership positions are dominated by men and women continue to face persistent barriers to their career progression.
This can be due to overt barriers that inhibit one’s advancement and those that are more subtle and deeply ingrained into social norms and perceptions around the role of women. This not only has an impact on a woman’s career prospects but also has broader implications for the way that health and care services are delivered across the country. Indeed, the lack of women in senior leadership positions affects policy decisions and, therefore, health outcomes.
Creating safe and open spaces where women can come together to have honest discussions about their experiences as members of the healthcare workforce is crucial to overcoming these challenges and establishing a truly inclusive industry, with opportunities for all its workers at all levels.
At HealthTrust Europe, we are committed to being the change we wish to see. With 55% of our employees being women, and women comprising 57% of colleagues in sourcing management positions and 44% of our Executive Leadership, we have a strong track record of supporting women into senior leadership roles. We are dedicated to using our resources to advocate for other organizations to make similar progress.
We are proud partners to the Health Care Supply Association (HCSA) whose new Women’s Network has been transforming the sector by encouraging and supporting women to develop meaningful and enriching careers in the healthcare sector. HealthTrust Europe’s former Vice President for Strategic Sourcing delivered the keynote speech at the HCSA’s Women’s Network Conference 2023, and we are delighted to announce that we will be returning to exhibit at this year’s Women’s Network Conference on Wednesday 4th September.
The theme of this year’s Conference is Empowering Excellence: Navigating Challenges Building Connections and will be focused on driving excellence within the field to ensure it delivers the best outcomes for both its workforce and patients.
The Conference also presents a valuable opportunity to unite the sector in celebration of the contributions and achievements of women in healthcare whilst creating space for shared learning and for women to discuss their lived experiences. This sense of community is crucial to supporting women, making the healthcare industry transparent and honest, and fostering collaboration amongst professionals from all backgrounds and specialisms.
There is always more we can do as an organisation and wider industry to support women in the workforce. We welcome any attendees at this year’s conference interested in these topics to visit our stand and find out more about how HealthTrust Europe is supporting women in reaching their full potential.
