Workforce Race Equality Standard survey in general practice: Lewisham 2019

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Workforce Diversity
• Equality and Inclusion

Background:

• The NHS Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) was implemented in 2015 to assess Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) staff experiences.
• Mandatory for NHS trusts, WRES uses nine indicators to compare BME staff experiences with the general workforce.
• Published trust data reveals disparities in the experiences of BME staff compared to non-BME staff.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce the Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) framework into general practice settings.
• To establish a baseline measurement for future improvement initiatives within general practice.
• To underscore the link between a diverse workforce, improved population service, and enhanced health outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A survey was distributed to all general practice staff, including clinicians and non-clinicians.
• Open-ended questions focused on four WRES indicators most relevant to general practice.
• Data collection occurred over a six-week period during August and September 2019.

Main Results:

• 151 responses were gathered from a total workforce of approximately 550 staff.
• Clinician and non-clinician response rates were nearly equal (50.6% vs. 49.4%).
• BME staff (49% of respondents) reported experiencing workplace bullying from patients (54%) and colleagues (25%), with 22% changing jobs due to this.

Conclusions:

• General practice BME staff encounter high rates of racism, predominantly from service users.
• Racism in the workplace resulted in career changes for 22% of affected BME staff.
• A zero-tolerance policy and a comprehensive, multi-faceted strategy are essential to address these issues.