Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES) report 2024

The Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES) was introduced in April 2019 as a mandated data collection. The WDES is a collection of 10 metrics that aim to compare the workplace and career experiences of disabled and non-disabled staff. NHS Trusts and NHS Foundation Trusts are required to report and publish data, on an annual basis, for each of these metrics.

The Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES) metrics data analysis highlights the collective experiences of disabled NHS staff and provides a tool for our Trust to work with disabled staff to examine and benchmark our own data, using the evidence as a springboard for action. The WDES Technical Guidance contains information to support with the collection and reporting of WDES metrics data and producing action plans.

This report provides an overview of the Trust figures for 2023 and 2024 and National figure for 2023.

Our workforce composition is made up of the following; 4.96% are disabled, 86.74% have declared non-disability and 8.30% are unknown.

Indicator 1: Percentage of disabled staff in each of the Agenda for Change (AfC) bands 1 to 9, very senior managers (including executive board members), medical, dental and other staff, compared with the percentage of non-disabled staff in these categories.

• National Figure for 2023 (Staff survey data is from 2023): 4.9%
• NCIC 2023 (Staff survey data is from 2022): 4.08%
• NCIC 2024 (Staff survey data is from 2023): 4.96%

Indicator 2: Relative likelihood of non-disabled staff compared to disabled staff being appointed from shortlisting across all posts

• National Figure for 2023 (Staff survey data is from 2023): 0.99%
• NCIC 2023 (Staff survey data is from 2022): 0.67%
• NCIC 2024 (Staff survey data is from 2023): 1.14%

Indicator 3: Relative likelihood of disabled staff compared to non-disabled staff entering the formal capability process

• National Figure for 2023 (Staff survey data is from 2023): 2.17%
• NCIC 2023 (Staff survey data is from 2022): 0%
• NCIC 2024 (Staff survey data is from 2023): 0%

Indicator 4: Percentage of disabled staff compared to non-disabled staff experiencing harassment, bullying or abuse in the last 12 months

• National Figure for 2023 (Staff survey data is from 2023):
  • from the public: Disabled: 30.4% | Non-Disabled: 23.8%
  • from colleagues: Disabled: 25.9% | Non-Disabled: 16.7%
  • from managers: Disabled: 15.9% | Non-Disabled: 8.7%
• NCIC 2023 (Staff survey data is from 2022):
  • from the public: Disabled: 27.9% | Non-Disabled: 21%
  • from colleagues: Disabled: 30% | Non-Disabled: 16.5%
  • from managers: Disabled: 18.8% | Non-Disabled: 11.9%
• NCIC 2024 (Staff survey data is from 2023):
  • from colleagues: Disabled: 26% | Non-Disabled: 20%
  • from managers: Disabled: 26.6% | Non-Disabled: 14.5%
  • ​​from the public: Disabled: 18.3% | Non-Disabled: 9.3%

Indicator 5: Percentage of disabled staff compared to non-disabled staff believing that the trust provides equal opportunities for career progression or promotion

• National Figure for 2023 (Staff survey data is from 2023): 51.5%
• NCIC 2023 (Staff survey data is from 2022): 41.8%
• NCIC 2024 (Staff survey data is from 2023): 47.7%

Indicator 6: Percentage of disabled staff compared to non-disabled staff saying that they have felt pressure from their manager to come to work, despite not feeling well enough to perform their duties (“presenteeism”)

• National Figure for 2023 (Staff survey data is from 2023): 28.5%
• NCIC 2023 (Staff survey data is from 2022): 26.5%
• NCIC 2024 (Staff survey data is from 2023): 26.3%

Indicator 7: Percentage of Disabled staff compared to non-disabled staff saying that they are satisfied with the extent to which their organisation values their work

• National Figure for 2023 (Staff survey data is from 2023): 35.6%
• NCIC 2023 (Staff survey data is from 2022): 25.9%
• NCIC 2024 (Staff survey data is from 2023): 32%

Indicator 8: Percentage of disabled staff saying that their employer has made adequate adjustment(s) to enable them to carry out their work

• National Figure for 2023 (Staff survey data is from 2023): 73.4%
• NCIC 2023 (Staff survey data is from 2022): 68.4%
• NCIC 2024 (Staff survey data is from 2023): 69%

Indicator 9: Staff engagement score

• National Figure for 2023 (Staff survey data is from 2023): 6.46%
• NCIC 2023 (Staff survey data is from 2022): 6.03%
• NCIC 2024 (Staff survey data is from 2023): 6.17%

Indicator 10: Percentage difference between the organisation’s board voting membership and its organisation’s overall workforce

• National Figure for 2023 (Staff survey data is from 2023): 5.7%
• NCIC 2023 (Staff survey data is from 2022): -4%
• NCIC 2024 (Staff survey data is from 2023): -5%

Summary and next steps 

The Trust seen some small positive improvements across the majority of the 10 indicators with our percentage of disabled staff increasing by nearly 1%.

Indicator 4 which relate to our disabled staff experiencing harassment, bullying or abuse, shows scores have seen some small improvements across all three areas: patients, colleagues and managers.   

Other indicators, which are taken from the National Staff Survey data, are also showing signs of improvements, for example Indicator 7 which relates to how satisfied our disabled staff are with the extent the organisation values their work has improved by 6.1%. 

Two indicators have seen a decline in our scores; these are Indicator 2 which relates to our recruitment and Indicator 10 which is the board voting.  Further analysis of the recruitment data will be undertaken to gain an insight into why the figure has declined.

The WDES report will be presented to the DisAbility Staff Network and EDI Steering Group for consideration and review.  The EDI Action Plan will be updated accordingly following the feedback and further analysis.

Please see attached 2024 WDES Submission details.

Appendix 1 – Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES) Technical Guidance