Patrick Vernon

Black Perspectives on the Future of Healthcare

As the UK continues to grapple with structural inequities in healthcare, voices like Professor Patrick Vernon OBE remain vital in driving forward a fairer, more inclusive system. On Monday, 10th November 2025, the Black in Academia initiative will host Black Perspectives on the Future of Healthcare at The Knowledge Centre, The British Library, where Patrick Vernon will explore how race, culture, and history intersect to shape health outcomes today and tomorrow.

A respected campaigner, historian, and policy leader, Professor Vernon has dedicated his career to advancing equity and justice. His work has transformed the national conversation — from leading the campaign that established National Windrush Day, to helping expose the Windrush Scandal in 2018. Beyond activism, his influence extends into academia and publishing, with acclaimed works such as 100 Great Black Britons and Black Grief and Healing (2024), the first major UK anthology on grief within Black communities.

Recognised by British Vogue as one of the Top 20 Campaigners in Britain and featured in the Powerlist 100 of most influential Black Britons, Patrick Vernon continues to champion systemic change through education, advocacy, and storytelling. His insights draw attention to how inequality manifests across health systems, from access and representation to the mental and physical health impacts of discrimination.

The upcoming event will explore key questions shaping the future of healthcare:

• How can health systems better reflect and serve the needs of diverse communities?

• What lessons can be drawn from the Windrush experience in addressing institutional racism?

• How can academia, policy, and lived experience come together to build a more equitable future?

Patrick’s voice, informed by both scholarship and activism, will provide a vital lens for understanding not just where the system has failed — but how it can evolve.

📅 Date: Monday, 10th November 2025
🕕 Time: 18:30 GMT
📍 Location: The Knowledge Centre, The British Library
🔗 Register for free: Here