Analysis of disability equality in the workforce 2023
This summary report shares the key findings from our Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES) data analysis for 2023. It highlights differences in outcomes and experiences between Disabled and non-disabled employees, the progress we have made and where we need to improve.
What is the NHS Workforce Disability Equality Standard?
The purpose of the NHS Workforce Disability Equality Standard is to ensure that Disabled job applicants and employees have equal access to opportunities and receive fair treatment in the workplace. It uses a series of metrics as measures of the outcomes and experiences of Disabled employees in the NHS.
Definitions
Whilst this broadly describes those who are protected from disability discrimination by the Equality Act 2010, we recognise that not all such individuals will identify as Disabled.
Throughout our data, there is always an option for employees to leave their disability status as undisclosed either by indicating ‘Prefer not to say’ or by not responding to the disability monitoring question. As the disability status of these individuals is unknown, we have included them in the data set but excluded these figures when comparing statistics for Disabled and non-disabled employees.
The context
Although not mandated for commissioning support units, SCW is committed to collecting and analysing data against the WDES metrics. The results support us to plan and take action to reduce disparities in outcomes and workplace experiences between Disabled and non-disabled people.
This approach reflects our organisational values, supports our aspiration of making SCW a great place to work and contributes to the 2023/25 business plan objectives to ‘create a strong, diverse and sustainable workforce’ and prioritise the wellbeing of our people.
It also resonates with several commitments made in the NHS People Plan, for example: retaining staff, reducing harassment, bullying and abuse and supporting the development of more diverse leadership teams.
The information presented is from the following sources:
- Electronic Staff Record (ESR): 31 March 2023
- NHS Jobs recruitment data: financial year 2022/23
- Human resources information on the capability process: financial year 2022/23
- National NHS staff survey responses 2022
Summary of findings
- The 2023 report demonstrates continuing improvement in the representation of Disabled employees across the organisation and increasing declaration rates at all levels (particularly within our senior leadership (bands 8d+).
- We have also seen positive maintenance of metrics 2 and 3 where Disabled candidates were equally likely to be appointed from shortlisting compared to non-disabled candidates and Disabled employees were less likely to enter the formal capability process.
Workplace profile and metrics
As of 31 March 2023, 7.8% of SCW employees (135 individuals) declared a disability on ESR (increase from 6.5% in 2022). 82.5% of the workforce have declared no disability.
Recruitment outcomes
From 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023, non-disabled job applicants were 0.96 times as likely to be appointed from shortlisting compared to Disabled applicants. This means that Disabled and non-disabled applicants were equally likely to be appointed. This is in line with the national WDES.
Presenteeism
In our 2022 staff survey, 11.1% of Disabled staff survey respondents reported pressure from their manager to work while unwell. This compares to 7.9% of non-disabled staff. This has improved from 13.3% of Disabled employees in 2021.
Senior leadership representation
Disability representation at band 8d+ remains the same as 2022 at 3.0%. Positively, the declaration rate at senior level has significantly increased since 2022, with only 7.5% of employees band 8d+ not declaring their disability status within ESR. This has improved from 20.9% undisclosed in 2022.
Harassment, bullying, abuse
9.2% of Disabled employees experienced HBA from managers or other colleagues in 2021 compared to 7.6% from managers and 17.2% from other colleagues according to our 2022 staff survey. Experience of HBA mirrors national trends but remains lower than national figures which showed 17.1% of Disabled employees experiencing harassment, bullying or abuse from a manager and 26.9% from other colleagues in 2022.
Career progression
52.4% of Disabled staff survey respondents in 2022 believed that SCW provides equal opportunities for career progression or promotion, compared to 62.0% of non-disabled respondents. This has decreased from 62.4% last year.
Feeling valued
49.8% of Disabled staff survey respondents in 2022 said they felt valued, compared to 53.6% of non-disabled staff. This has decreased from 53.0% of disabled employees and 61.0% of non-disabled employees in 2021.
Workplace adjustments
88.1% of Disabled staff survey respondents requiring adjustments had received them in 2022. 11.9% of respondents felt SCW had not made adequate adjustments. This has decreased from 93.3% of adjustments provided in 2021.
Staff engagement score
The staff engagement score for Disabled staff survey respondents was 6.5 in 2022 compared to 7.0 for non-disabled employees. This has decreased from 7.0 and 7.4 in 2021 respectively.
Formal capability process
In 2023, Disabled staff were less likely to enter the formal capability process compared to non-disabled colleagues. This represents no change since we last reported on this metric in 2021.
Nationally, Disabled staff were more than twice as likely to enter the capability process compared to non-disabled colleagues.
Conclusion
- Whilst we have made progress with Belonging at SCW and improving the experiences of Disabled colleagues, our 2023 data demonstrates the oscillating nature of this journey. With increased awareness, declaration and openness about disability, comes greater recognition of workplace challenges such as harassment, bullying and abuse.
- Additionally, the 2022 staff survey is reflective of current pressures nationally and within the NHS such as continuing workplace changes and covid recovery, cost of living crisis and strikes impacting worker wellbeing. Therefore, some metrics showing a regression may not be reflective of a widening gap between disabled and non-disabled employee experience.
Disability Network
The SCW Disability Network of approximately 97 members, a growth of 30 members in the last year, comprising both disabled employees and allies.
The network continues to be engaged through the Belonging at SCW programme, representing voices of Disabled employees in SCW.
Through consultation with the network, priority actions were identified for 2023-2025 including reviewing our reasonable adjustments process and improving our Equality Impact Assessment practice across the organisation.
The network continues to be engaged in hosting and facilitating events, sharing blogs and stories to create opportunities for the wider organisation to learn from lived experience of colleagues with disabilities.
Next steps
Recommendations have been identified throughout the report and are summarised below. The leading themes relate to harassment, bullying, abuse, engagement and feeling valued, career progression and reasonable adjustments. We will also continue to pursue collective actions agreed in 2022 through our action plan development, this is reflected in the recommendations below.
- Develop our learning and development hub to include content on Disabled lived experience and how best to support Disabled colleagues at work in partnership with our Disability Network.
- Explore a dedicated, real-time reporting platform for employees to flag experience of HBA thus improving psychological safety and encouraging all employees to speak up.
- Amplify the sunflower badge and scheme, encouraging uptake and conversations around adjustments and accommodations.
- Implement newly developed reasonable adjustments process and NHS Health passports, review effectiveness to ensure adjustments are being applied equitably and without delays.
- Engage our Disability Network to understand how to further help facilitate voices of Disabled employees to be heard in the organisation.
- Improve disability declaration rates on ESR through a campaign, continue to engage senior leaders to encourage role modelling and further increase declaration rates.
Next steps
Following publication of the 2023 WDES, the next steps will be to refresh our dashboard of measures relating to our Belonging at SCW strategy and ‘One SCW Action Plan’ to reflect on progress. These actions and measures will be revisited and reviewed continually with Disability Network leads and People Services throughout 2024, adapting and updating where required. This report has brought SCW reporting in line with the national framework, our 2024 report will update all measures.
For further information please see the analysis of key findings following this section, or to request this information in a different language or format, please