Results: workforce disability equality standard | Our news

We're committed to eliminating discrimination, valuing diversity and promoting equality of opportunity to build and sustain an inclusive environment to deliver and receive safe and compassionate care. 

However, the latest Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES) report shows that there is still work to do.

Over a quarter of staff with a disability in our group report experiencing bullying and harassment from their managers. The proportion went up from under 24% to over 26% this year, whereas the comparable figures for colleagues without a disability fell to 13.7%. 

Colleagues with disabilities are also more likely to experience bullying and harassment from the public, and from their colleagues at work, with about one-third reporting abuse in each case.   

Members of the group executive board noted that six out of ten WDES metrics required improvement and called for a greater focus on improving the working lives of staff living with a disability. 

Steps being taken include launching Safe to Share listening circles to encourage victims of bullying and harassment to come forward and seek support. We will also provide more training for managers to make it easier to access workplace adjustments, which almost a third of disabled colleagues say they do not receive. 

According to the staff survey, 18% of respondents say they have a long-term health condition or disability, yet only 4% record this in the electronic staff record. The WDES metrics are based on the latter and indicate representation is consistent across all staff groups, but the former suggests that other colleagues may face hidden challenges. 

People with disabilities are less likely to report bullying and harassment than non-disabled colleagues, so we all should do more to raise their awareness of our speaking up channels, as well as ensure we abide by our commitments to dignity at work and a just culture. 

• WDES (Workforce Disability Equality Standard) 2023 [pdf] 1MB