Dilshad Khan, CQSW, MBA, MIHSM, JP, Director of Equality and Diversity, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, was born in Nodeh, District Mardan, Pakistan, and came to England to join his father in 1961. He has lived in Bradford most of his life. He graduated from Leeds University as a qualified social worker in 1982, and gained his MBA in 1992.
Dilshad has had a distinguished career in the public and voluntary sector for many years. He has over twenty five years of experience of working in the health and Social care sector at local, national and international level. Dilshad has in depth knowledge of the issues encountered by service providers in developing appropriate and sensitive services to consumers from diverse backgrounds. He has succeeded in facilitating cultural shifts at both individual and organisational level to enable integration of health and social services for disadvantaged groups into mainstream service planning.
Dilshad worked at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi (AKUH) between 1986 to 1989 as Head of Social Services. He was responsible for the establishment of the Patient Welfare Department at the AKUH.
Dilshad is committed to promoting health equalities and supporting healthcare developments in developing countries and has been working closely with government of AJK in the establishment of the Kashmir Institute of Cardiology. He has established an international health links committee within the Bradford Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust to support overseas healthcare developments. Currently, the Trust works in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and Africa. Dilshad has established an exchange programme where healthcare professionals come to Trust for further training and development.
Dilshad has supported the Earthquake relief effort through a number of initiatives including sending healthcare professionals from Bradford Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust to the affected areas. He is also working with a number of colleagues in the UK and Pakistan for the establishment of a limb fitting and rehabilitation centre in the affected areas.
Dilshad also works with hospitals in Europe in improving healthcare for people from diverse backgrounds. Dilshad was the main contributor to the ‘Amsterdam Declaration’ of improving health and well being of migrants across Europe.
He has strong links with community organisations in Bradford and is a member of the Bradford Health Improvement Forum, Health Equality Action Team, Bradford Diversity Partnership, chair of the West Yorkshire Diversity and Equality Partnership and has been a member of the Bradford Race Review chaired by Lord Ouseley. Dilshad works very closely with the NHS Chief Executive’s office in addressing the equality agenda at national level.
Dilshad is a keen follower of cricket and loves watching England play Pakistan as he sees himself in a ‘win/win’ situation being a British Pakistani he is comfortable supporting both teams.