This workshop is being delivered as part of the new CPTH Belonging in Practice series of webinars for staff working in General Practice in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

The series consists of a set of 6 x monthly virtual workshops designed to:

  • support GPs and General Practice leaders to understand how identity, inclusion and workplace culture impact on wellbeing, retention, and career progression
  • build inclusion, belonging, and psychological safety within the general practice workforce in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

Workshop 1: Creating Belonging in General Practice

This opening session, in a series of 6, establishes the strategic importance of belonging for GP wellbeing, retention, patient care and leadership sustainability. It explores the impact of exclusion, microaggressions and systemic bias in general practice and shifts the focus from passive ‘diversity’ to active inclusion and shared ownership. It will explore what belonging looks like in GP settings, what currently hinders it, and what a more inclusive Cambridgeshire & Peterborough workforce could become.

The workshop is being delivered by Professor Margaret Ikpoh, a General Practitioner, educator and national leader working at the intersection of clinical excellence, inclusive leadership and medical education.

She is Vice-Chair for Professional Development and Training Standards at the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), where she leads on CPD strategy, exam standards and conference programming, ensuring GP education remains rigorous, relevant and inclusive.

She also serves as National Settings Lead for Primary Care at the NIHR Research Delivery Network, supporting research delivery, innovation and improved outcomes, particularly for under-served communities.

Equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging are central to her work. She has delivered EDI training across healthcare settings, developed community engagement strategies, and advocates for systems that reflect and respond to diverse populations.

Her work is driven by a clear mission: to bridge the gap between research and practice, and to support a healthcare system where every patient is valued and every practitioner is equipped to lead with compassion and purpose.

 

This event is taking place via Zoom. Once booked you will find the zoom link in your booking confirmation email.

The full series of workshops is shown below. Click on the + to read the overview.

Please click here to search our events calendar for those that are currently open for booking.

This opening session establishes the strategic importance of belonging for GP wellbeing, retention, patient care and leadership sustainability. It explores the impact of exclusion, microaggressions and systemic bias in general practice and shifts the focus from passive ‘diversity’ to active inclusion and shared ownership. It will explore what belonging looks like in GP settings, what currently hinders it, and what a more inclusive Cambridgeshire & Peterborough GP workforce could become.

This session will focus on the experiences of IMGs working in UK general practice, addressing challenges such as cultural transition, NHS systems, communication styles, accent bias, imposter syndrome, differential attainment, and visa or settlement stressors. Discussions will centre on how practices, supervisors and leaders can better support IMGs, alongside strategies for navigating feedback, appraisal, leadership pathways and career progression. Practical outputs will include mentorship models, inclusive induction practices and awareness tips for supervisors and partners.

Covering ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia, this session reframes neurodiversity as an asset in general practice. This workshop explores strengths in patient care, decision-making and creativity, alongside challenges such as burnout, masking and disclosure. Participants will discuss what helps or hinders neurodivergent colleagues at work, how practices can normalise reasonable adjustments, and how appraisal and training processes can be more inclusive.

This workshop on working well, working differently, addresses visible and invisible disabilities, fluctuating health conditions, stigma and rigid GP systems that contribute to attrition. It focuses on retention through flexible working models, sustainable job planning, portfolio careers and challenging narrow narratives around resilience. Practical discussion will centre on reasonable adjustments that support long-term contribution rather than burnout or exit.

Focusing on psychological safety and authenticity at work, this workshop explores decisions around being ‘out’ in the workplace, experiences with patients and colleagues, faith-based tensions, and leadership visibility. Participants will discuss how GP workplaces can create genuine safety, how to manage patient prejudice, and how organisations can move beyond symbolic inclusion to practical, lived allyship.

This workshop addresses the realities of racism and bias in GP roles, including microaggressions from patients and colleagues, differential treatment in complaints and appraisal processes, and the emotional labour of ‘representing’ communities. Discussion will explore how racism manifests subtly in everyday practice, the balance between individual coping strategies and organisational responsibility, and what meaningful allyship looks like within practices and PCNs.