Interview with Donnarie Goldson: Championing EEDI in London’s Sexual Health Programme
At the heart of London’s Sexual Health Programme (LSHP) is a commitment to fairness, inclusivity, and better access for all. We sat down with Donnarie Goldson, the Equity, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EEDI) Lead for the programme, to hear about the progress being made and the work still to be done.
Q: Donnarie, can you tell us why EEDI is such an important part of your work?
Donnarie:
My eyes were truly opened to the depth of Equity, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EEDI) whilst leading the maternity programme for a London Integrated Care System[MW1] a few years ago. I already understood that personalised care is a golden thread running through many areas of healthcare - but it was in the maternity space that I saw, in real and often raw terms, how vital it is to include equity and inclusion in service delivery at all levels, including the workforce.
The trusts supported birthing people and families that were neurodivergent, visually impaired, physically disabled, or navigating layered socio-economic barriers within the system. It became clear that personalised care isn’t just a nice-to-have -it’s a matter of dignity, safety, and justice.
That experience deepened my belief that personalised care and EEDI are intrinsically linked. It’s stayed with me ever since. I carry those EEDI ‘lenses’ into every role I take on - not just as a professional commitment, but because I’ve seen first-hand how the ‘lenses’ help to reduce inequalities and create space for people to be seen, heard, and empowered in their care.
Fast forward to more recent roles; I led on the development of the sexual health assessment for a Local Authority in London. Working closely with a fantastic team of data analysts, some of the disparities highlighted were the very low rates of specific communities – those with the poorest sexual health outcomes - accessing sexual and reproductive health services. However, these communities made up almost 25% of the resident population.
Improving EEDI in sexual and reproductive health is not just an opportunity in London.
I’m currently supporting an East of England council, and the opposite is shown in the data. Black African communities comprise just under 1% of the resident population but contribute disproportionately to the overall rates of STI/ HIV indicators. These figures don’t add up. It tells us that further improvements are required in terms of access, cultural competence, trust, and awareness at a national level, not just in London.
That’s why I do this work, to understand what’s preventing communities from accessing our services and to dismantle some of those barriers.
Q: What kind of structural change is needed to address those issues?
Donnarie: EEDI needs to be built into the core of our organisations, right into our contracts, commissioning, and decision-making processes. Think about it: no one would write a business case without considering the financial impact. So why wouldn’t we give the same gravitas to EEDI?
Underserved groups must be explicitly recognised in our service design, delivery and performance monitoring targets and measures. Otherwise, we risk reinforcing inequalities, normalising poor outcomes and experience of care for these groups and communities
Q: You co-lead the programme’s EEDI Advisory Group- what’s that all about?
Donnarie: The EEDIAG, as we call it, is a space for big questions and bold ideas. At our very first planning meeting at the end of 2024, we asked ourselves: What do we want to achieve? How will we do it? Who do we need to work with to make it happen?
We’re realistic - we can’t solve everything overnight - but we can make meaningful progress. The group helps shape both the strategic and operational direction of the London sexual health programme, making sure EEDI stays front and centre.
Q: How does the group influence the programme’s day-to-day work?
Donnarie: We’re not interested in tick-box exercises. This must be meaningful and sustainable. For instance, the EEDIAG will play an active role in the LSHP procurement processes, namely the current procurement of the online sexual health service for London; SHL.UK. Members will collaboratively develop questions we’ll ask bidders, analyse their responses, and help set the KPIs.
My EEDIAG co-lead Marc Thompson has a great phrase which is factual and transparent; “we’re building the plane as we’re flying” resulting in dynamic and exciting conversations, plans and overall vision
Q: What are the group’s immediate priorities?
Donnarie: We’re focusing on four key areas:
EEDI Procurement – ‘Bake’ meaningful EEDI involvement into LSHP procurement processes, starting with the current procurement of online sexual health services in London.
Contributing to a London-wide plan for allyship and inclusion: This is about consistent, active support for marginalised communities, not just good intentions.
Creating consistent, high-quality tools: We’re developing resources like Equity Impact Assessment Toolkit, and a pan-London dashboard to track to ensure comparable data across London on EEDI data points.
Mapping key campaigns and co-designing inclusive resources: We’re planning awareness campaigns and working on an EEDI sexual and reproductive health toolkit, along with training materials that reflect diverse needs and realities.
Q: And finally- what keeps you motivated in this work?
Donnarie: I believe in the power of asking uncomfortable questions-because that’s how change happens. When people feel seen, heard and included, we can build services that work for everyone. That’s the goal.
For me, EEDI isn’t a side note, it’s essential.