WDES 2025-2026 action plan

EEAST's Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES) action plan for 2025-2026.

Inclusivity Plan themes

We will attract and retain an inclusive workforce.
We will enable and empower our people by equipping everyone to be inclusive leaders.
We will ensure our policies, processes and practices are fair and consistent.
We will monitor and report on how we are progressing and target our plans to deliver change.

Metric	Objective	Action	Delivery Date	Leads/Stakeholders	Inclusivity Plan priority area
1	Percentage of staff in each of the AfC Bands 1-9 and VSM (including Executive Board Members) compared with the percentage of staff in the overall workforce.	EEAST will continue to monitor this objective and report quarterly at the People Committee.	31/03/2026	People Services Communications & Engagement	We will attract and retain an inclusive workforce.
2	Relative likelihood of non-disabled candidates being appointed from shortlisting compared to Disabled candidates.	EEAST will continue to monitor this objective and report quarterly at the People Committee.	31/03/2026	People Services Communications & Engagement	We will attract and retain an inclusive workforce.
3	Relative likelihood of Disabled staff compared to non-disabled staff entering the formal capability process. Reduce from 2.11 times greater to 1.5 times greater	Cultural Inclusion Ambassador’s (CIA’s)on panels where possible. Inclusivity Manager to follow up with TIAA regarding policy review. Cultural Awareness & Intelligence Training (1st Facilitator cohort commence training October). Leadership Development Framework.	31/03/2026	People Services	We will ensure our policies, processes and practices are fair and consistent. We will enable and empower our people by equipping everyone to be inclusive leaders.
4a	Percentage of Disabled staff compared to non-disabled staff experiencing harassment, bullying or abuse from (i. patients, ii. managers, or iii. other colleagues). In the last 12 months. Reduce (from patients) from 45% to 43%	Focus on 4ai: From patients. Use of body worn cameras. Datix reporting.	31/03/2026	Information Analytics Corporate Governance Health, Safety & Security	We will monitor and report on how we are progressing and target our plans to deliver change.
4b	Percentage of Disabled staff compared to non-disabled staff who reported they had experienced harassment, bullying or abuse at work.	EEAST will continue to monitor this objective and report quarterly at the People Committee.	31/03/2026	People Services Communication and Engagement Health, Safety & Safety	We will enable and empower our people by equipping everyone to be inclusive leaders.
5	Percentage of Disabled staff compared to non-disabled staff believing that the Trust provides equal opportunities for career progression or promotion. Increase from 42.9% to 44%	Career development programme. Cultural Awareness & Intelligence Training (1st Facilitator cohort commence training October). Leadership Development Framework. Improved recruitment processes (questions in advance). Working towards Disability Confident level 3. Appraisal training for Managers.	31/03/2026	Communication and Engagement People Services	We will enable and empower our people by equipping everyone to be inclusive leaders. We will ensure our policies, processes and practices are fair and consistent.
6	Percentage of Disabled staff compared to non-disabled staff saying that they have felt pressure from their manager to come to work, despite not feeling well enough to perform their duties.	EEAST will continue to monitor this objective and report quarterly at the People Committee.	31/03/2026	People Services Communication and Engagement	We will enable and empower our people by equipping everyone to be inclusive leaders. We will ensure our policies, processes and practices are fair and consistent.
7	Percentage of Disabled staff compared to non-disabled staff saying that they are satisfied with the extent to which their organisation values their work. Increase from 23.5% to 24.5%	Cultural Awareness & Intelligence Training (1st Facilitator cohort commence training October). Leadership Development Framework. Working towards Disability Confident level 3. Appraisal training for Managers.	31/03/2026	People Services Communication and Engagement	We will enable and empower our people by equipping everyone to be inclusive leaders.
8	Percentage of Disabled staff saying that their employer has made adequate adjustment(s) to enable them to carry out their work. Increase from 65% to 68%	Working towards level 3 of Disability Confident. Cultural Awareness & Intelligence Training (1st Facilitator cohort commence training October). Leadership Development Framework. Appraisal training for Managers. Reasonable Adjustment training for Managers to be developed by RA Advisor & Occupational Health Team: Scope of delivery to be finalised.	31/03/2026	People Services Communications & Engagement Finance/Procurement	We will attract and retain an inclusive workforce. We will enable and empower our people by equipping everyone to be inclusive leaders.
9a	The staff engagement score for Disabled staff compared to non-disabled staff.	EEAST will continue to monitor this objective and report quarterly at the People Committee.	31/03/2026	People Services Information Analytics Corporate Governance Health, Safety & Security	We will monitor and report on how we are progressing and target our plans to deliver change.
9b	Has your Trust taken action to facilitate the voices of Disabled people in your organisation to be heard?	EEAST will continue to monitor this objective and report quarterly at the People Committee.	31/03/2026	People Services Communications & Engagement	We will monitor and report on how we are progressing and target our plans to deliver change.
10	Percentage difference between the organisation’s Board voting membership and its overall workforce disaggregated by: A) Voting membership of the Board. B) Executive membership of the Board.	EEAST will continue to monitor this objective and report quarterly at the People Committee.	31/03/2026	People Services Communications & Engagement	We will attract and retain an inclusive workforce.