I was talking to a colleague about the theme of the 2022 ASPiH conference. They were puzzled. “I don’t know why you’re making such a big deal about this. I mean if someone’s got asthma, then you just treat the asthma. You shouldn’t treat them any different if they’re black or a woman or transgender.” 

This is a common misconception. Perhaps we shouldn’t treat the asthma differently. (Although with increasing knowledge of genetics and the invisibility of minorities in research studies it might turn out that many people with the same disease should be treated differently.) 

And the fact is that we do treat patients with the same disease differently. From underprescribing pain relief in black people to the discrimination against transgender people in healthcare. Health and social care are not immune to the biases and prejudices that exist in the wider population. 

What place does simulation have in all of this? First, the simulation space is one of the safest in terms of psychological safety. People can (and do) admit to mistakes and people can (and do) discover ways to improve their performance by changing behaviours. This is an ideal space to talk about inequality and bias. 

Second, more and more health and social care workers are being exposed to simulation. The significant impact of variation in treatment based on gender, race, sexual orientation, etc. means that simulation, with its orientation toward learning, can have a profound effect on how people are looked after. 

The simulation community has been at the forefront of improving care. It should not shy away from exploring these deeper issues.

I look forward to seeing you all at the 2022 ASPiH conference. 

Victoria Brazil, Ben Simon and Eve Purdy discuss equity, diversity & inclusion in simulation. 

http://simulationpodcast.com/136-equity-diversity-inclusion-in-simulation/

https://icenetblog.royalcollege.ca/2021/09/14/equity-diversity-and-inclusion-in-simulation-a-reflexive-tool-for-simulation-delivery-teams/