Improvements in staff diversity at Nottingham hospitals
A new report from the NHS shows significant improvements in staff diversity at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH), where the overall representation of race outstrips the national average.
The NHS Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) report for 2023, shows that NUH staff from ethnic minority backgrounds equates to 26.6% of the workforce, higher than the national average of 26.4% and up from last year.
Data from the 2023 NHS Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES) report also shows improvements at NUH in every area. Both reports assess representation of staff from ethnic minority backgrounds and those with disabilities in senior positions and affected by discrimination, harassment, disciplinaries, recruitment and more.
In further improvements, the WRES shows that NUH sits in the top 10% of trusts nationally for the likelihood of staff from minority ethnic backgrounds entering a formal disciplinary process (0.55 down from 0.71 in 2022). In both reports, NUH staff experiencing harassment, bullying or abuse from patients and staff has also reduced, as has the number for those experiencing discrimination.
These latest figures closely follow positive results from the 2023 National NHS Staff Survey, which showed that more than 8,000 members of staff reported improvements in recommending NUH as a place to work, and as a place to receive care.
In September 2023, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) published its latest inspection reports, recognising improvements across Nottingham hospitals. The CQC increased ratings for leadership and culture, and for maternity services at both City Hospital and Queen’s Medical Centre.
Clive Clarke, Director of inclusion at NUH said: “These survey results are a great indication of the improvements being made in our hospitals and positively reflect the way our staff feel.
“Both at NUH and nationally we can see the NHS becoming a more diverse workforce, and this is a vital in making our hospitals a place that people want to work in.
“However, we know there is more to do to create a truly diverse and equal workforce, and that is something we are committed to. We can see the difference that our NUH Workforce Inclusion Strategy, inclusion ambassador programme and networks are already making, and we know that will continue.”