WRES and WDES Data Report

Meeting:

 Public Board

Date:

 10.05.2023

Report Title:

NHS Workforce Disability Equality Standard

NHS Workforce Race Equality Standard

Agenda Item:

 PUB23/4/13

Author:

Navrita Atwal – Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Manager

Lead Director:

Hein Scheffer, Director of Strategy, Culture and Education

X

SR1b: If we do not ensure our leaders are developed and equipped, there is a risk that we will not be able to change our culture, and value, support, develop and grow our people

X 

SR5: If we do not clearly define our strategic plans we will not have the agility to deliver the suite of improvements needed

X 

SR6: If we do not deliver sustainable regulatory compliance and develop positive relationships, we will have limited ability to deliver our strategy

Equality Impact Assessment

No negative impact identified

Negative impact identified:

Age

Sexual Orientation

Disability

X

Gender Reassignment

Gender

Religion/Belief

Race

X

Pregnancy and Maternity

Marriage and civil partnership

Recommendation:

It is recommended that the committee signs off the 2022-2023 WDES & WRES workforce data reports for submission to NHS England.

Previously considered by:

People Committee - 26.04.2023

Purpose

The purpose is to ensure that the Trust is compliant with the WRES/WDES Standards which support the Trust in meeting its Public Sector General and Specific Equality Duty.

This also forms part of the funding agreement with NHS England.

Executive Summary

EEAST is required to meet the deadline of 31^st May 2023 to upload the data onto the NHSE Portal. This deadline has been moved from August to May. The Trust is required to:

1. Upload the workforce data for the relevant WDES and WRES metrics and indicators by 31/5/2023 (to the NHS data collection) and publish on our website.
2. Review the WDES and WRES data and closedown the 2022-2023 action plans. Data for this task was obtained from ESR, TRAC and the relevant sections of the NHS Staff Survey.

Please see separate reports in the following Appendices:

• Appendix 1 – WDES Data Report

• Appendix 2 – WRES Data Report

• Appendix 3 – 2022-2023 WDES & WRES Overall Data Summary.

This report provides the Trust with quantitative and qualitative data detailing the differences between disabled and non-disabled staff for the previous and current reporting year. The source used to collate data is from ESR, TRAC & NHS staff surveys.

The Trust commissioned McKenzie LLP to carry out independent surveys with BME and Disability staff to capture the experience of employees working for EEAST. The results from the BME survey have already been shared with the BME Network and stakeholders. The results of the Disability Survey have been shared with the DSN Network on 25^th April 2023.

(There was also an LGBT+ Survey, results of which have also been shared on 25^th April 2023, with the LGBT+ Network, but that does not form part of this report.)

The Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES) is a collection of 10 Indicators (as shown in table below) that aim to compare the workplace and career experiences of disabled and non-disabled staff. Percentage of increase and decrease is compared with previous years.

In a large organisation like EEAST, a tiny increase in percentage relating to a certain metric/indicator may present challenges in the justification as the impact may be small.

However, any change in data supports the Trust in ensuring it continues to work on those metric/indicators to bring out positive change.

• The results in the table on the next page are the numbers of indicators achieved, excelling, partially met or poor.

The WDES Metrics not met are an indication of poor results received via ESR/TRAC/NHS Surveys. The explanations are given in each of the WRES/WDES reports under the narrative in the attached report.

The Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) is a collection of 9 Indicators (as shown in table below) aims to compare the workplace and career experiences of BME staff. Percentage of increase and decrease is compared with previous years.

The results in the table on the next page are the numbers of indicators achieved, excelling, partially met or poor.

The WRES Indicators not met is an indication of poor results received via ESR/TRAC/NHS Surveys.

The explanations are given in each of the WRES/WDES reports under the narrative in the attached report.

Publication of the WDES and WRES data is a legal requirement for all NHS-funded organisations to comply with and publish by 31^st May 2023.

(NHSE WRES/WDES Team changed the uploading of data deadline to 31^st May 2023 - originally it was 31^st August every year).

Failing to comply will result in a serious breach of the standard and funding agreement with NHSE.

Options will be presented in the WRES/WDES Action Plans 2023/2024 which are intended to come back to Board for approval in due course.

There is a process before the WRES/WDES Action Plan can be submitted to the People Committee and the Board:

• Drafted action plans need to go out for consultation to the relevant networks e.g., BME/DSN
• Thereafter, actions are updated and presented to EDI Group meeting
• Updated action plans are then submitted to People Committee and thereafter the Board.
• The EDI team has to produce a WDES Annual Report using the framework provided by NHSE. This has to be approved by the People Committee/Board and forms part of the submission papers.

Based on the above activity, we would expect to bring action plans back to PC/Board meeting deadlines in August/September.

The agreed action plans will then be collapsed into the 3-year Inclusivity Plan for ongoing monitoring and implementation.