Stoke Mandeville Hospital dietician wins Parliament’s Inspiring Indian Women Award

A dietician working at Stoke Mandeville Hospital won an award from Parliament’s Inspiring Indian Women ceremony.

Specialist dietitian Alka Pandey won the ‘Promising Professional’ award at the Inspiring Indian Women (IIW) Awards, presented at the Houses of Parliament.

Alka was chosen not just for her work with the Buckinghamshire NHS Trust, but also for her voluntary contributions. For example, she supported NHS England’s diabetes group during the pandemic by making videos to improve vaccination uptake amongst both type 1 and type 2 diabetics.

She also works with charity organisations within the South Asian community to raise diabetes awareness. According to NHS data the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes is reported to be as much as six times higher in South Asians than in Europeans. Alka uses her social media to make sure people are aware of this as well as other health issues and tips.

Alka said: "I feel ecstatic, proud, and humbled at the same time to win the ‘Promising Professional’ award. To win this at the Houses of Parliament was a cherry on top of the cake for a first-generation immigrant who came to make a life for themselves here in the UK. Walking into the Houses of Parliament was like walking into magnificent British history and making memories for a lifetime.”

The IIW She Inspires Awards are open to women all over the world from any ethnicity. The nominees go through two rounds of evaluation and only 40 to 50 make it to the finals at Parliament.