Karen Duncombe

Hard-working and experienced Diversity and Inclusion specialist with a nationally recognised track record of success. Exceptional communication and leadership skills and able to demonstrate credibility and influence in difficult situations. Organised, driven and dedicated to work with a real passion and skill for equality and the ability to unpick complicated information and make it accessible to lay people. A team player.

• Acted as the strategic lead in England for mental health workforce reforms, focussing on increasing employment for survivors of the mental health system and developing a robust and fit-for-purpose NHS mental health workforce
• Undertook a whole-systems equality review for a local authority 
• Audited and reported on key legislative requirements for an American company branching out to work in the UK to ensure legal compliance and best practice in diversity and inclusion
• Set up and project managed work to improve access to 111 (NHS national out of hours telephone health service) for Deaf, deafened and hard of hearing people
• Developed an equality monitoring tool for the NHS and piloted this successfully locally, leading to take-up regionally and nationally 

I have post-graduate qualifications in Management and in Social Policy. My Master's dissertation was on the subject of user involvement in transforming 21st century health and social care services.