Workforce race equality standard (WRES) annual report 2025

Data collated from Workforce race equality standard (WRES) and Colleagues Survey 2024.

Colleagues’ representation

Our black and minority ethnic (global majority) workforce representation is 9.48%. The national figure for the global majority is 28.6%.

A model employer: increasing global majority representation at senior levels across the NHS.

A stretching, and yet achievable aspiration for the NHS would be to have more global majority representation across the workforce pipeline.

Currently the target is to increase representation of global majority colleagues in band 8a roles and above.

Shortlisting

Likelihood of white colleagues being appointed from shortlisting compared to global majority colleagues is 0.66 more likely, an improvement from 0.71 more likely last year. The national figure is 0.71 more likely.

Career progression

An increase to 50.3% (43.6% last year) of global majority colleagues believe that our trust provides equal opportunities for career progression. Compared to 61.5% (63.4% last year) of white colleagues. The national figure is 48.8%.

Professional development

White colleagues are 1 times more likely to undertake non-mandatory training and continuing professional development (CDP) compared to global majority being 1.02 times more likely (positive) last year. The national figure is 0.79 more likely.

Disciplinary investigation national

Global majority colleagues are 2.36 times more likely to enter formal disciplinary process than white colleagues. The national figure is 1.25 times more likely.

Experiencing discrimination

Of all colleagues reporting discrimination the highest response with 37% was on the grounds of ethnic background, 5.8% increase from 2023 score. Of global majority colleagues who reported experiencing discrimination at work, 92.2% reported that this was on the grounds of ethnicity.

Bullying and harassment

15% global majority colleagues compared to 4.33% white colleagues experienced discrimination at work from manager or team leaders. A 5% improvement score. The national figure is 15.5% global majority and 6.7% white colleagues.

Board membership

Global majority board membership is at 11.11%. The national figure is 16.8%.

Bullying and harassment

Global majority colleagues reporting experiencing discrimination at work from patients or service users, their relatives or other members of the public at 30.25% (28.79% last year) (negative), compared to 17.53% of white colleagues. The national figure is 27.8% for the global majority, and 24.1% for white colleagues.

Global majority colleagues reporting experiencing discrimination at work from a manager, team leader or other colleagues at 15% compared to 4.3% of white colleagues. The national is 15.5% for the global majority and 6.7% for white colleagues.

All colleagues were asked on what grounds they have experienced discrimination and the highest response with 37% was on the grounds of ethnic background, a 5.8% increase from our 2023 score.

Of our global majority colleagues who reported experiencing discrimination at work, 92.2% reported that this was on the grounds of ethnicity.

Page last reviewed: September 11, 2025
Next review due: September 11, 2026