In this episode of Business in Colour we talk to Dr Ashna Basu who is a psychiatry advanced trainee in Sydney. She sits on the Board of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists and is the Chair of the Young branch of the Medical Women’s International Association. Ashna has previous experience in management consulting and governance, and advocates for equity in health and society nationally and overseas. In 2024 she was invited by the President of the United Nations General Assembly to speak at the UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York and in the same year was awarded the Ministry of Health’s Achievement in Health award at the NSW Young Achievers Awards. Now you know why we had to have her on Business in Colour.

This episode is jam packed with gold both personally for people of colour, women and for employers. We talk about health system challenges, like supply, demand, access, resourcing and our often low societal will to change and advocacy for others in health. What sticks with us is Ashna’s analysis of women, especially ethnic women – how we are so often the care-givers, not the receivers of care; how women tolerate lots of pain across their life-time and how society reinforces how pain for women is normal. Some really poignant messages and calls to action right across this podcast – we hope you listen and make a list of areas to have a courageous conversation in your workplace. Please enjoy the trailblazer, change maker, Dr Ashna Basu.

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