A first of its kind report looking into race equality among
England’s doctors has found that the number from black and ethnic
minority backgrounds working for the NHS is the highest on
record.
New data published as part of the inaugural Medical Workforce
Race Equality Standard (MWRES) commissioned by NHS chief
executive Simon Stevens shows that last year more than 53,000
doctors working in the NHS were from a BME background, up by more
than 9,000, a rise of around one-fifth, since 2017.
The change confirms the ever-increasing diversity of NHS staff –
with 42% of medical staff working in the NHS now from a BME
background.
However despite this rise in ethnic minority medical staff, BME
doctors currently remain underrepresented in senior positions,
including at consultant grade roles and in academic positions.
While the number of BME Medical Directors increased to 20.3% and
the proportion of clinical directors is now above one quarter,
both figures would need to be at 42% to be representative, one of
the reasons that the NHS Long Term Plan, has called on every NHS
trust to set its own target on senior BME representation by 2022,
to reflect their overall workforce.
BME doctors reported lower levels of bullying or abuse from
patients and the public than did white doctors, but higher levels
than white doctors of abuse and discrimination from other staff.
NHS chief executive Simon Stevens said:
"The NHS's medical workforce is one of the most diverse in the
country, and increasingly so. So it's all the more critical that
the profession, local employers and the wider NHS nationally all
now act on these important and wide ranging findings."
Prerana Issar, Chief People Officer for the NHS
said:
“While it is pleasing that ever increasing numbers of people from
a BME background are choosing to become doctors and join our NHS,
there is much more the NHS and other health bodies can do to
improve representation and experiences for BME people.
“As part of our People Plan we have committed to support NHS
organisations to make workplaces even more inclusive and
compassionate, while it is also important that our partners in
medical schools, Royal Colleges and other organisations take the
steps required to improve experience of staff from a BME
background.”
The report also shows a need for medical schools and royal
colleges to take steps in increasing diversity in the NHS.
BME students are less likely to attain a place in medical school
than white students.
The report also calls for all Royal Colleges to publish a
breakdown on the percentage of BME staff on their elected
councils – with one Royal College having just 13% of their
council from a BME background.
