Submitted by sc282 on Mon, 17/02/2025 - 15:05
Dr Luke Flower, Clinical Research Fellow at the Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Heart and Lung Research Institute (VPD-HLRI), University of Cambridge and Selwyn College, has been honoured with the inaugural Kathleen Ferguson Award for Inclusivity by the Association of Anaesthetists.
On Thursday, 9 January, Luke formally received the award at the Winter Scientific Meeting 2025, which took place in London.
The Kathleen Ferguson Award, a new accolade from the Association of Anaesthetists, celebrates individuals who have made an exceptional contribution in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace, fostering a more inclusive healthcare environment for patients and colleagues.
The award recognises Dr Flower's work with a range of NHS Trusts to improve awareness and understanding of the of the unique healthcare needs of transgender patients. Luke continues to work with acute and intensive care communities to develop guidelines for trans and gender-diverse patients in peri-operative and intensive care settings. These educational initiatives aim to tackle inequalities in the experiences and health outcomes of transgender patients.
Luke said: “
"I am deeply honoured to receive the Kathleen Ferguson Award and grateful to everyone who made this work possible. The positive response to our efforts has been inspiring, but there is still much more to be done to ensure equity of care for transgender and gender-diverse patients. As clinicians and researchers, it is our duty to continue striving for the highest standard of care for all patients, including those in the LGBTQ+ community. With national and international anaesthesia and critical care bodies now beginning to acknowledge its importance, I am optimistic about what the future may hold."
A specialty registrar specialising in intensive care by training, Luke is currently studying for a PhD investigating immune dysfunction in severe acute hypoxaemic respiratory failure and cardiogenic shock under the supervision of Professor Charlotte Summers at the VPD-HLRI, Cambridge.