Annual Workforce Diversity Data Report

1.0 Executive summary

As a public organisation University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) is required to have due regards to the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) in relation to our commitments, both as an employer and as a service provider. This legislation stipulates that public sector organisations such as UHB must 

• eliminate discrimination 

• advance equality of opportunity 

• foster good relations between different people  

when carrying out our activities both internally and externally. 

The Trust is working towards creating an inclusive environment by striving to build a workforce which is valued and whose diversity reflects the communities it serves. By ensuring that our workforce reflects the local population we will increase the quality of service provided to patients. The Trust is also committed to raising awareness of diversity to ensure equality and equity for all and to establish a supportive working environment where everyone is valued and treated with dignity and respect. The Trust believes that this commitment will lead to improved services for our patients and an improved working environment and inclusive culture for all staff. 

This PSED Report also details most recent Census (2021) data to detail the local communities that UHB provide services to. 

2.0 Introduction

The purpose of the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) is to embed equality considerations into the day-to-day work of public bodies to reduce inequality and improve outcomes. It requires equality considerations to be reflected into the design of policies and the delivery of services, including internal policies, and for these issues to be kept under review. 

The purpose of this report is to publish information on the data of UHB based on the protected characteristics under The Equality Act 2010.  

While this is a legal obligation it is also an essential part of UHB to provide services that meet the diverse needs of our patient population and our workforce. 

In relation to workforce the data will include workforce demographics, recruitment and selection, NHS Staff Survey, employee relations (disciplinary and grievance), leavers data and staff representation across the protected groups, where this data is available.  

The report helps us to identify potential disadvantages for any protected groups and to support the development of further actions. The data in this report is based on the information that the trust collates. The data comes from multiple sources: 

• Current position, leavers data and recruitment and selection for UHB with the data based on staff in post as at 01 March 2024 taken from ESR 

• NHS Staff Survey  

• WDES/WRES and employee relations (disciplinary and grievance) from 2023 report. 

The evidence collation shows how the Trust is working towards meeting its Public Sector Equality Duty requirements and working on the EDS24.

3.0 The Public Sector Equality Duty - The Equality Duty (PSED)

The Equality Duty covers the following protected characteristics: 

• Age 

• Disability 

• Gender Identity 

• Pregnancy and maternity 

• Race  

• Religion or belief (includes no belief) 

• Sex 

• Sexual orientation 

Marriage and civil partnership are also protected characteristics under the Equality Act but are not covered by the PSED. 

The Equality Duty indicates that having due regard for advancing equality involves: 

• Removing or minimising disadvantages suffered by people due to their protected characteristics. 

• Taking steps to meet the needs of people from protected groups where these are different from the needs of other people. 

• Encouraging people from protected groups to participate in public life or in other activities where their participation is disproportionately low.

4.0 Monitoring

Monitoring and review of PSED will be through the delivery and implementation of a variety of reports and groups that include. 

• Equality Delivery System 2024 (EDS24)

• Gender pay gap

• Medical Race Equality Standard (MRES) 

• Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework (PCREF) 

• Patient Services Equality Monitoring Report

• Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES)

• Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES)

• Midlands workforce, race, equality and inclusion strategy (WREI)

• Rainbow Badge Accreditation Scheme 

• Staff Networks 

5.0 Age

5.1 Age - UHB Current Workforce Data

The highest percentage of the workforce in in the age range between 26-35 years of age. Details of the age breakdown for UHB can be found in Table 3 below. 

UHB Workforce Data – Age  

(based on staff in post as at 31 March 2024 taken from ESR) 

5.2 Age - UHB Leavers

The highest percentage of the workforce leaving UHB is in the age range between 21-30 years of age. Details of the age breakdown for UHB can be found in the table below. 

UHB Workforce Data – leavers by age 

(April 2023 to March 2024) 

5.3 Age – Observations 

• Data from the 2021 census shows that the median age in Birmingham is almost 10 years younger than Solihull (respectively 34 years 43 years) 

• The highest percentage of the UHB workforce is in the age range between 26-35 years of age 

• The highest percentage of the workforce that leaves the Trust is in in the age range between 21-25 years of age. 

 5.4 Age – Staff Survey  

Information from the 2023 National Staff Survey shows that 19.26% of UHB respondents reported that they had experienced discrimination based on their age. This was a slight decrease from 2022 (19.51%). 

6.0 Disability

6.1 Disability - UHB Current Workforce Data 

Data from ESR as at 01 March 2024 shows that 4.35% of staff have shared that they have a disability. However, there remains a high percentage of staff (~20%) where disability status is unspecified (6.94%) or not declared (13.22%). 

Details of the staff who have shared that they have a disability at UHB can be found in the table below. 

UHB Workforce Data – disability  

(based on staff in post as at 01 March 2024 taken from ESR) 

6.2 Disability – Staff survey 

Information from the 2023 National Staff Survey shows that 10.87% of UHB respondents reported that they had experienced discrimination based on their disability. This is an increase from previous years as below: 

• 2022 (9%)  

• 2021 (7.79%) 

• 2020 (7.77%). 

From the 2023 report 27.19% of UHB respondents shared they had a long term condition or illness suggesting that more staff have a disability than UHB has recorded on ESR.  

For a full explanation of the actions taken to address this disparity please see the WDES 2023 report https://www.uhb.nhs.uk/about/reports/equality/workforce-disability-equality-standard.htm 

The Trust is also committed to the Disability Confident Scheme ( Disability Confident employer scheme - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) ) which aims to attract, recruit and retain people with a disability.  Currently the Trust holds ‘Employer’ status with the scheme and plans are in place for this to be upgraded to ‘Leader’ status in 2024.

6.3 Disability - Recruitment and Selection 

The details on applicants who declare that they have a disability and do not who are shortlisted and then recruited are shown in the table as below. 

UHB Recruitment and Selection – disability  

(01 April 2023 – 29 February 2024) 

6.4 Disability – Leavers  

Details of the staff who have left the Trust and had shared that they have a disability at UHB can be found in the table below. 

Table 8 UHB Workforce Data – leavers by disability  

(01 April 2023 to 29 March 2024) 

6.5 Disability – observations  

• The workforce comparison against the local population suggests under reporting of disabilities.   

• Although the position has improved there is still work to be done to improve the data which is recorded on ESR in relation to staff with a disability.  

• This is highlighted by 23% of those staff who completed the 2022 National Staff Survey shared they have a disability compared to 3.6% of staff on ESR. 

• Further investigation is required into the relatively low proportion of disabled recruits.  

• The Trust will report via WDES on the planned actions to improve the attraction, recruitment, and retention of people with a disability. 

6.6 Workforce Disability Equality Standard 

Please see the link below for the full WDES report. 

• Workforce Disability Equality Standard

7.0 Ethnicity

7.1 Ethnicity - UHB Current Workforce Data

The summary of the staff in post since 2021 by ethnicity is shown in the table as below. 

UHB Workforce Data 

(based on staff in post as at 01 March 2024 taken from ESR) 

The overall Black Asian and Minority Ethnic population at UHB has increased again compared to 2023. 

This is an increase on the previous three years.  

The breakdown of staff at UHB who have indicated what their ethnicity is in the table as below. 

UHB Workforce Data - Ethnicity  

(based on staff in post as at 31 March 2024 taken from ESR) 

7.2 Workforce Race Equality Standard 

Please see the link below for the full WRES report. 

• Workforce Race Equality Standard

7.3 Ethnicity – UHB leavers 

The data for the ethnicity staff leaving UHB can be found in the table below. 

UHB Workforce Data – leavers by ethnicity  

(01 March 2022 to 28 March  2024) 

7.4 Ethnicity - Recruitment and Selection 

UHB Recruitment and Selection – Ethnicity Summary 

(01 April 2023 – 29 February 2024) 

8.0 Sex & Gender

8.1

Sex and gender are different concepts that are often used interchangeably. Within this report the following definitions are used: 

• Sex 

• biologically defined 

• Gender 

• social construct 

• an internal sense of self 

• whether an individual sees themselves as a man or a woman, or another gender identity  

8.2 Sex – UHB Current Workforce Data 

Data taken from ESR illustrates the workforce population split. Overall the female workforce population in the Trust is 76% compared to 24% male. This percentage split has remained constant for many years and is representative of the workforce gender split across the NHS nationally. 

The data can be seen in the table below. 

UHB Workforce Data - Sex  

(based on staff in post as at 31 March 2024 taken from ESR) 

The breakdown of senior managers (band 8a and above) however shows a different percentage when compared to the overall split for the Trust can been seen in the table  below  

UHB Workforce Data - Sex by senior banding 

(based on staff in post as at 31 March 2024 taken from ESR) 

When the data is split by Medical and Dental Grades the split is even more different than the Trust overall split. 

The data can be seen in the table below. 

UHB Workforce Data - Sex by Medical and Dental Grades 

(based on staff in post as at 31 March 2024 taken from ESR) 

8.3 Sex – Recruitment and Selection  

The data can be seen in the table below. 

UHB Recruitment and Selection – Sex 

(01 April 2023 – 29 February 2024) 

8.4 Sex – UHB Leavers 

The Trust has recently reviewed and revised its Leavers Policy which includes a more robust exit interview process in order to ascertain the reasons behind the person leaving and to address any areas of concern. 

The data can be seen in the table as below. 

UHB Workforce Data – leavers by Sex 

(01 April 2023 – 29 March 2024) 

9.0 Gender Pay Gap (GPG) 

More details for the GPD can be found on our website.

• Gender Pay Gap 

10.0 Marital Status

Marital status – UHB Current Workforce Data 

Details of the marital status of staff at UHB can be found in the table below. 

UHB Workforce Data - Marital Status  

 (based on staff in post as at 31 March 2024 taken from ESR) 

11.0 Religion or Belief

11.1 Religion or Belief – UHB Current Workforce Data 

From the current workforce at UHB the largest report religion/belief was recorded as 37.7% as Christian, followed by “I do not wish to disclose” at 23.65% and then Islam at 11.99%. 

Details of the different faiths that staff at UHB have shared can be found in the tbale below . 

UHB Workforce Data - Religion/Belief 

(based on staff in post as at 31 March 2024 taken from ESR) 

11.2 Religion or Belief – Recruitment & Selection 

The breakdown of the different religions and faiths in relation to recruitment and selection can be seen in the table below. 

UHB Recruitment and Selection – Religion or Belief 

(April 2023 – February 2024) 

11.3 Religion or Belief – leavers  

UHB Workforce Data – leavers by Religion/Belief 

(April 2023 to March 2024) 

12.0 Sexual Orientation

12.1 Sexual Orientation – UHB Current Workforce Data 

Data taken from ESR shows the reporting of sexual orientation across the workforce. 

Currently the Trust does not record the gender identity of staff on ESR and therefore unable to provide data on staff who identify as Trans or Non-Binary. 

Details of the sexual orientation of staff at UHB can be found in the table below.   

UHB Workforce Data – Sexual Orientation 

(based on staff in post as at 31 March 2024 taken from ESR) 

12.2 Sexual Orientation – recruitment and Selection 

UHB Recruitment and Selection – Sexual Orientation 

(based on April 2023 – February 2024) 

12.3 Sexual Orientation – leavers 

UHB Workforce Data – leavers by Sexual Orientation    

(based on April 2023 – March 2024) 

13.0 Staff Survey Results

The latest staff survey results can be found on the NHS Staff Survey website.

•  NHS Staff Survey website

14.0 Census data summary - 2021 

The most recent census data provides details of the communities that UHB provides health care services to across the Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care System (BSol ICB). 

UHB continues to review the 2021 Census in relation to the changes that it is making to equality and equity and acknowledges that there is a change in the BSol population, in particular Birmingham becoming a majority minority city. This means that there are more people in Birmingham who have indicated that they are from an ethnic minority (~52%) than there are people who have indicated that they are white (~48%). UHB also recognises the diversity that it has between its population of Birmingham and Solihull – and the different council wards with each of these areas. 

Further details of the Census can be found on the Birmingham City Council website.

• Birmingham City Council - 2021 Census

Census data for Birmingham and Solihull Summary  

(Data comparing 2011 and 2021) 

4 Caution should be taken when making comparisons between 2011 and 2021 because of changes in question wording and response options Census 2021 was undertaken during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This may have influenced how people perceived their health status and activity limitations, and therefore may have affected how people chose to respond.
5 Percentage of usual residents aged 16 years and over by legal partnership status
6 of people aged 16 years and over
7 How life has changed in Birmingham: Census 2021 (ons.gov.uk)
8 How life has changed in Solihull: Census 2021 (ons.gov.uk)