Disabled nurses are the most likely staff group to report incidents of harassment, bullying or abuse at work, as levels of abuse continue to outstrip that of non-disabled colleagues, according to a new report.
The Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES) report for 2024 was released by NHS England this week.
“For too many, discrimination and inequality in the NHS remain”
Nicola Ranger
It found that more employers were making reasonable adjustments to ensure disabled staff can carry out their work, but that there was still progress needed to ensure this staff group do not suffer discrimination, bulling, harassment or abuse.
As of March 2024, 5.7% of the workforce across NHS trusts declared a disability through the electronic staff record – increasing year-on-year from 3.1% in 2018.
Representation was highest in Agenda for Change band 3 (7.5%) and lowest at band 9 (3.9%).
Using data from the 2023 NHS Staff Survey, the WDES report found that a lower percentage of disabled staff (52%) than non-disabled staff (58%) felt that their trust provides equal opportunities for career progression or promotion.
Meanwhile, the percentage of staff who said that they have felt pressure from their manager to come to work despite not feeling well enough to perform their duties was higher for disabled staff (27%) than for non-disabled staff (18.5%).
Levels were especially high for both disabled men (28%) and disabled women (29%) in nursing assistant roles.
Meanwhile, the WDES found that, overall, 74.5% of disabled staff reported that their employer had made reasonable adjustments to enable them to carry out their work – higher than in 2022 when it was 73%.
Despite this, the report revealed that disabled staff faced a higher level of harassment, bullying and abuse than their non-disabled counterparts.
It found higher proportion of disabled staff (30%) than non-disabled staff (23%) had experienced harassment, bulling or abuse by the public – a trend that has continued since WDES began in 2019.
The report highlighted a persisting concern that nearly a quarter of non-disabled staff and nearly a third of disabled staff experience abuse from the public.
Disabled male nursing assistants (51%) and registered nurses (43%) were more likely to experience harassment, bullying or abuse than their female colleagues.
Similarly, the percentage of staff experiencing harassment, bullying or abuse from managers was higher for disabled staff (15%) than for non-disabled staff (8%).
Using data from the NHS Staff Survey 2023, the report found the percentage of staff experiencing harassment, bullying or abuse from other colleagues in the last 12 months was higher for disabled staff (24%) than for non-disabled staff (15%).
Levels were especially high for disabled men in nursing assistant roles (30%) and for disabled women (28%) in general management.
As a profession, nursing and healthcare assistants (63% overall) were most likely to go on to report the last incident of harassment, bullying or abuse experienced at work.
The WDES report also set out the experiences of disabled NHS staff in accessing career progression and promotion.
It found that the likelihood of non-disabled candidates being appointed from shortlisting compared to disabled candidates was close to equity (0.98).
Despite this, the report showed that disabled staff were more than twice as likely (2.04) to enter the formal capability process (on performance grounds) compared to their non-disabled colleagues.
Dr Navina Evans, NHS chief workforce, training and education officer, said this year’s WDES report “shows evidence of the efforts NHS employers are making to create a fully inclusive workplace for disabled staff”.
She added: “Disabled people are more likely than average to be represented on NHS boards than in the wider workforce and disabled candidates are also more likely to be appointed from interview.
“More employers are also making reasonable adjustments that enable disabled staff to carry out their work.
“But disabled staff remain more than twice as likely to be performance managed compared to their non-disabled colleagues, and experienced higher levels of harassment, bullying or abuse from managers and other colleagues.
“We know that there is still work to be done to make sure all staff are given equal opportunities to progress in their careers and be free from discrimination, bullying, harassment or abuse from other staff.”
Responding to the report, Royal College of Nursing general secretary and chief executive Professor Nicola Ranger said there was “still more work to be done” to make the NHS an equal workplace.
She said: “The NHS is an incredibly diverse workforce and it is vital this is represented at the highest levels.
“It is clear that despite pledges to improve the situation, for too many, discrimination and inequality in the NHS remain.
“While funding for equality, diversity and inclusion roles remains under attack, NHS leaders should see this report as a wake-up call that they need to do more to protect staff and end this abuse of our diverse workforce.”
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