Eight out of ten senior NHS managers are black or minority ethnic.

According to NHS figures, one in eight senior managers are of black and minorities ethnicity (BME) background.

The 2024 NHS Workforce Race Equality Standard showed that 12,7% of the staff at very senior managers level were from this background – an increase from 1 in 9 (11.2%) from 2023.

NHS England reported that this represents an overall 85% increase from 2018, when there were only 201 senior managers of black and minorities ethnicities, compared with 372 in the most recent report.

As of March 2024, the proportion of NHS staff with a BME heritage had increased from 26,4% in 2023.

In 80% of cases, however, white candidates were significantly more likely to be selected from the shortlist than BME applicants.

The percentage of BME employees (48.8%), who felt their trust provided equal opportunities for promotion or career advancement, was lower for BME staff than for white staff (59%).

The 2024 NHS Workforce Disability Equity Standard (WDES), report published at the time found that disabled people were fairly represented on NHS Boards and that candidates declaring their disability in applications had just as much chance of being appointed to NHS positions as non-disabled applicants.

In comparison to previous years, more NHS employers made reasonable adjustments for disabled employees so that they could perform their jobs.

Disabled staff are still twice as likely as their non-disabled counterparts to be subjected to performance management.

The level of harassment, abuse or bullying by managers and colleagues was also higher, indicating that there is still work to be done to improve the situation.

Dr Navina Evan, NHS chief workforce officer and training and education officer said: “It is vital that NHS employees from black or minority ethnic backgrounds, as well as those with disabilities, have equal career opportunities, so we can provide high-quality patient care.”

This report shows that while we have made progress in the last year, notably through better representation of BME employees in senior management positions, there is still more work to do to ensure all staff are treated equally.

Dr Evans said that employers in the NHS must continue to work to create an atmosphere where staff members feel like they belong and can raise concerns without fear. This will allow them to provide the best possible care.