| Description | CDR sound recording of an interview with Professor Zenobia Nadirshaw, HonFBPsS, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, formerly Head of Psychology at Kensington and Chelsea PCT and Professor at Thames Valley University, Faculty of Health and Human Sciences for the British Psychological Society's Oral History Project.
The interview was conducted by Dr Lorraine Ludman, 25th March 2015.
The following summary by Dr Lorraine Ludman is by way of introduction to the full recording held at the British Psychological Society's History of Psychology Centre, London.
Interviewee: Professor Zenobia Nadirshaw (ZN)
Interviewer: Lorraine Ludman (LL).
LL asks ZN when her interest in psychology (P) first started-ZN talks of her youth and people confiding in her influencing her decision to train as a psychologist; after College (8 papers in P) BA; studied for a Masters in Applied Psychology at University of Bombay (1971-73). Working with people and patients in hospital setting doing lots of testing
LL family influence? ZN: No but mother assisted and encouraged her; self motivated and self-driven in terms of her subject matter and wanting to make a career in clinical P from the beginning
1973: moved to UK. LL was it a shock? ZN No: ZN grew up in a highly westernized society; always spoke English; grew up in an English context and setting
[6:23] LL asks where ZN worked on arrival in the UK. ZN talks about her application (basic grade post) to work at Harperbury Hospital in Radlett. BPS would not accept her Bombay Masters. ZN had to wait until she got permission from her 'boss' to do her Masters again: placements, research, dissertation, case reports and so on whilst working as an assistant psychologist at Harperbury. [7.50] on completion of Masters through the BPS diploma she progressed from a basic psychology post to consultant. ZN sat on management committee which organized the hospital closure and the management of moving the patients into community settings: [8:34] she led the drive in this area. [8:52] ZN describes how the 1300 patients were moved back into the community. Required a lot of resettlement work-moving from a medical model to a social model. LL asks about follow up of patients: ZN: Yes, monitored the outcome and ZN talks about the kind of help the patients were offered and the kind of accommodation patients went to.
[11:00] LL asks about 'boss' : ZN: Richard Mein clinical psychologist: Psychiatrist: Dr Alexander Shapiro. LL asks about role of psychiatrists. ZN responds: psychologists advocating behavior modification as opposed to the medical model (medication). LL ask how long it took to close hospital: ZN responds and explains
[13:36] LL: ZN's next move. ZN was headhunted by Kensington and Chelsea-took over the whole of psychology services as well as learning disability community schemes-meant managing a budget of £1.6 million. Manager, clinician and active supporter of ethnic minorities.
[ 14:30] LL recaps to ask when ZN's clinical work focused on leaning disabilities (LD). ZN responds 'it was learning disabilities and people with LD having mental health problems' 40% of LD suffer from MH problems particularly women.
[15:08] LL asks about PhD? ZN: has 3 honorary doctorates -Doctor of science, philosophy, and literature.
[16:00] LL asks ZN if her experiences while working in the UK raised issues that significantly influenced her subsequent career? - her influence in challenging and changing the ways psychological and mental health services within the NHS effect Asian, Black and minority Ethnic communities-reflected in recent publication: Race, culture and ethnicity in mental health care. ZN responds and explains how her work evolved, what she learnt and how she developed ways to deal with these problems; together with Dr Linda Ward bid for research money (Kings Fund)-equal opportunities policy unit-received funds of about £100,000 in 1980-81.
[18: 02] Produced main document called Double Discrimination Issues and service provision for people with LD from the Indian community. Explains this further -community care; independent living ….facts influencing social workers
[21:00] started pushing for acceptable service provision for Asian families. Book: Clinical Psychology Race and Culture a training manual: won prize (2001); talks about her publications especially about psychotherapy with LD people chapter therapeutic alliance with your client ; talks at length about her work with a particular patient (anorexic male patient)
[25:40] LL asks how long ZN stayed at Kensington and Westminster: retired 2-3 years ago. Head of Clinical department + role of mentor for people outside of her service; released the profile of equality and diversity within the trust; very instrumental in that; lot of supervision -associated with 3 training courses in London: UCL; University of East London (UEL) and Royal Holloway (at UCL).would get trainees from these universities every 6 months; her working life has been teaching and lecturing on these issues.
LL asks how many sessions of clinical work; ZN: 3 sessions, management, supervision, writing; attending NHS Trust meetings; working at government level.
[27:34] LL asks ZN to talk about how she influenced the professional education of both Clinical Psychology and Nursing in Britain by incorporating into their professional educational curriculum- 'race' and cultural issues.
Through NHS training programmes
[30:26] LL: Role of professional bodies: asks ZN to talk about her establishment of the 'Race and Culture' faculty within the division of clinical psychology of the BPS-ZN explains: Conference through auspices of Transcultural Psychiatry Society UK- first psychologist to chair this. Following conference the need the special interest group was established. Explains what the work involved and the questions posed. Challenged power base of psychiatry and P. - ethnic minorities cultural difficulties (about accessing MH facilities).
[34:07] LL asks if work ZN has done in UK has spread abroad; ZN: to a certain extent it has eg Caribbean Islands; India-how they interpret MH; talks about this. She has worked herself in India…how MH is alleviated; what role of imams; holy water etc.
[36:45] Gives example of what she did when she was called in to treat a Bengali patient (in London)
[39:00] LL asks ZN if she misses clinical work; ZN responds
[39: 44] LL asks what other faculties ZN was involved with in the BPS; does (above) faculty still exist? ZN responds: very active in BPS; received awards; looking at equal opportunities within the profession; on standing committee for the promotion of equal opportunities-won equal opportunity award from BPS.
[42:35}Awards: was considered for one of the Women of Inspiration; interviewed by Zerbanoo Gifford. Among 300 women across the world, out of these 100 women's photos including one of her transferred into a portrait exhibited in the National Gallery
[43:43] International Alliance for Women award given to women of 53 countries: Britain sent 27 applications to the committee ..out of those, 5 including her were chosen…mentions Cherie Blair as another
45:00 LL asks if she might be made a Dame. ZN: responds…mentions Members of the House of Lords that she knows
[46:41] LL asks ZN about her work on other committees - served on Department of Health Committees chaired by the Health Ministers to advise them on Ethnicity and Mental Health as well as Learning Disability Issues.
ZN: Pushing the issues of double discrimination; need to develop a proper working document; talks about this work…racism within the Health Service
[49:00] LL asks ZN about her involvement with charitable organizations such as the Mental Health Foundation. ZN : stepped down from that now involved with Tata Memorial Medical Trust Fund Board. ZN talks about the work of this charity in India and her involvement (one of her initiatives that 40% of children and their families should receive free treatment)
[50:36] ZN mentions another initiative-her connection with Professor Foscett (University of West London (UWL), Tourism/Hospitality) and through him she has access to all top chefs in UK, committed money for this fund.
[53:00] ZN talks about her charitable work among poor students for example at UWL. Her own personal charity.
[55:25] Trustee of the Race Equality Foundation; Tata Foundation; Zoroastrian committee; International Students Health (or house) committee
LL: asks about her time as Governor of London Municipal University; ZN responds
[57:10] LL asks ZN if she enjoys travelling and going to conferences. ZN responds: loves travel still contributing to conferences. Sits on 3 major committees in Bombay: Spastic Society; LD Society; Dyslexia Association. Sits on Ethics and Research Committee.
[59:44] LL asks if ZN about her thoughts on the future of clinical psychology and/or psychology in general in the UK? ZN : yes tremendous future for P- responds in detail
[1:01:50] LL asks how the plethora of psychology students will fit into the profession. ZN: responds, difficulties about getting into clinical training; talks about her advice to students and how students are coping.
[1:03:00] LL asks ZN about best or the worst aspect about being a psychologist + ethical issues regarding psychology or being a psychologist that concern ZN?
ZN responds: ethical issues-research undertaken by students; like to see increase in diversity of P students + increase in male gender; race culture perspective in curriculum; talks about other issues relating to appropriate P services
[1:07:10] LL asks ZN , whether family life; her personality, or personal characteristics affected her career
ZN: in terms of personality her openness her acceptance of differences, her understanding of the way people behave, my non discriminatory and non complaining about people's behavior; been inspired by this from a very early age
LL: anything else you wish to say? ZN: been so privileged to have been part of BPS and the Clinical P division; how to help society in understanding P; removing the stigma of P work …..
End of interview.
Total Running Time: c 69mins. |
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