Embedding the Workforce Disability Equality Standard

The WDES 2024 report shows there is still work to be done and the NHS England Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Improvement Plan supports this.

Take a look at the key findings of the WDES report below along with the actions that you can take to improve the experience of disabled staff in the workforce.  

Workforce representation

Key findings

• 2024 data shows an increase of 0.8 percentage points in the disability declaration rate to 5.7 per cent of the total workforce.
• The percentage of disabled staff in senior positions (bands 8c and above, including medical consultants and board members) has increased from 3.9 per cent in 2023 to 5.1 per cent in 2024.

What can organisations do?

Improve the confidence of staff so they feel comfortable declaring their disability: 

• Run campaigns, consultations or surveys to understand views and encourage declaration. Read our case study about how Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation trust improved their disability declaration rates.
• Support staff to set up a disability network, guidance can be found in the NHS England: staff networks toolkit.
• Link with external disability networking organisations like Purple Space.
• Aspire to Level 3 of Disability Confident. 

Capability

Key findings

• Disabled staff are on average twice as likely to enter the formal capability process as their non-disabled colleagues. This metric has slightly decreased in the last year, from 2.17 in 2023 to 2.04 in 2024.
• The number of disabled staff reporting they received workplace adjustments to perform their duties has again increased slightly from 73.4 to 74.5 per cent. However, this means that almost a quarter of disabled staff still do not have the adjustments they need to perform their role.

What can organisations do?

• Have an awareness of how conditions can affect employees and accommodate workplace adjustment requests so that disabled staff can continue in their roles. Find out how to make workplace adjustments and provide adequate training so managers are aware of what support is available.
• Implement an NHS health passport for disabled staff to record details about their disability, health condition or learning disability. Read our guidelines on the prevention and management of sickness absence.
• Respond to concerns that are raised and find out what actions you can take as an employer.
• Access resources that support disabled staff in the workplace.
• Find answers to commonly asked questions around workplace adjustments.
• Use our infographic to help you consider the key elements of setting up a centralised workplace adjustments budget.

Harassment, bullying and abuse

Key finding 

• The number of disabled staff reported having experienced bullying, harassment or abuse from patients or the public has decreased from 33.1 per cent to 30 per cent in the past year. Around a sixth stated experiencing this from managers and one quarter from colleagues. This is notably higher than that experienced by non-disabled staff. 

What can organisations do?

Create a psychologically safe environment with a speak up and listening culture. 

• Listen to and engage with staff.
• Implement a just and learning culture.
• Read our top tips for supporting the psychological safety of staff.
• Embed a healthy speaking up culture | NHS Employers. 

Board representation

Key finding 

• The number of disabled board members has increased from 5.7 per cent to 6.5 per cent.

What can organisations do?

• Encourage board members to declare and speak up about their disabilities.
• Support your disabled staff to progress in their careers.
• Raise awareness of the Disabled NHS Directors Network. This network was created to strengthen the collective impact and voice of disabled leaders and also the voice of disabled staff within the NHS. It provides a peer support network for disabled NHS directors.
• Review and improve your recruitment and retention processes so they are more inclusive. Find out how to recruit and support disabled staff in the NHS. 

Staff engagement

Key finding 

• The staff engagement score was lower for disabled staff (6.5) than for non-disabled staff (7.0).

What can organisations do?

Strive to improve your staff survey results through better staff engagement: 

• Read this blog on how to adopt a staff engagement approach by Steven Weeks, lead for staff engagement and the NHS Staff Survey at NHS Employers.   
• Find out how Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals developed an engagement approach for improved Staff Survey results.
• Watch this webinar to find out how staff networks can support the health and wellbeing of staff and learn how to build a strong staff network for disabled colleagues. 

Presenteeism

Key finding 

• The percentage of disabled staff experiencing presenteeism continues to fall. However, at 26.6 per cent, this is still significantly higher than for non-disabled staff. 

What can organisations do?

Consider implementing a well-designed disability leave policy to help disabled staff feel less pressured to attend work when unwell: 

• Take a look at this guidance on implementing an inclusive approach to disability leave.
• Access guidance on holding effective health and wellbeing conversations.
• Review and improve your flexible working arrangements.
• Support disabled staff who are experiencing mental health issues.
• Read about University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust’s approach to agile working.

NHS Employers and the NHS Confederation have developed a range of resources including blogs, case studies, videos and guidance to help support disability in the workplace. 

• Supporting disabled staff in the workplace
• Supporting staff with caring responsibilities
• Understanding disability infographic
• Employing deaf and hard of hearing staff in the NHS
• NHS Staff Council's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Group's building disability inclusive workplaces guidance
• Embracing neurodiversity in the workplace
• Managing a centralised workplace adjustments budget
• Improving staff equality networks through partnership working – a good practice guide
• Guidance on an inclusive approach to disability leave
• NHS Health Passport - to record details about disability, a health condition or learning disability
• Guidance on holding health and wellbeing conversations
• How to recruit and support disabled staff
• Learning Disability Employment Programme
• A guide to improving staff disability data
• Making workplace adjustments to support staff in their roles
• Understanding workplace adjustments infographic
• Supporting the mental health of disabled staff

Podcast

• Hidden disabilities uncovered podcast
• Workplace adjustments podcast

Webinar recordings

• Supporting learning difficulties and disabilities apprenticeships  
• Understanding and supporting staff with a hidden disability
• Developing WDES annual reports and action plans
• Managing disability related absence
• Managing reasonable adjustments in the workplace
• Improving disability declaration rates
• The role of senior leaders in supporting workforce disability
• Recruiting and retaining staff with disabilities - manager responsibilities

• Read this NHS England case study featuring Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust on how speaking out and formalising new standards can transform people’s experience of disability at work.
• Providing rapid-access mental health services for NHS staff - learn how Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust created a rapid-access mental health service to support its staff.

• A passport to better health and wellbeing
• From strength to strength - the National Deaf and Hard of Hearing Staff Network
• Finding my voice to drive change