Long term support for race equality in NHS

As a new report highlights the experience of black and minority ethnic (BME) people working in the NHS, NHS England has committed £1 million of annual funding to improve their well-being.

The annual Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) reviews the treatment of BME staff in England’s NHS, measured across nine key metrics, including representation, experience of discrimination and access to senior roles. The research highlights that while there has been a year on year improvement in BME representation in the most senior NHS roles, the health service still needs progress in a number of areas.

With £1 million investment each year until at least 2025, NHS England has also appointed a team of 42 experts from within the existing workforce, who will work with senior staff to close the gaps between BME and white staff.

Yvonne Coghill, director of WRES Implementation at NHS England, said: “Improving the experience of staff is good for them and leads to better outcomes for our patients. As well as making the health service fit for the future of patient care, the NHS Long Term Plan commits to doing more for our staff by shining a light on areas where they aren’t always treated fairly.

“Investing in the WRES into the middle of the next decade, will help us make the changes in the NHS that our staff and patients need and deserve. Our experts are already supporting organisations to improve their race equality strategies, with a second group set to join them and champion the programme across the NHS in England.”

Amber Jabbal, head of policy at NHS Providers, said: "It is good to see BME representation among the NHS workforce growing year on year, but as this data shows there is still much to do to encourage and support more people from a BME background into senior roles. Leaders from BME backgrounds bring a wealth of experience to leadership roles as well as frontline roles. It is important that NHS has a leadership which reflects the growing diversity of its workforce. 

"Evidence continues to show that if you are from a BME background you are more likely to be discriminated against when applying for senior positions as well as being more likely to suffer from bullying or harassment. This is unacceptable. We’re pleased to see a renewed funding commitment by NHS England to carry on work of the WRES through to 2025, as well as the promise to establish a Workforce Disability Equality Standard. This will ensure more can be done to support trusts to share best practise and embed these principles into the culture of the NHS."

Originally introduced as a two-year programme in 2015, the WRES was brought in to ensure BME staff have the same career opportunities and workplace experiences as their white counterparts.

The report shows that discrimination against NHS workers from BME backgrounds has risen from 13.8 per cent to 15 per cent in the last 12 months. In contrast, just 6.6 per cent of white staff reported discrimination at work.

Dame Donna Kinnair, acting chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing, said: "The rise in reported discrimination towards BME staff is truly appalling, and shows just how far we have yet to go. It is a disgrace that BME staff experience racism, lower pay, harassment and limited career progression within our health service.”