Workforce Race Equality Standard
The NHS Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) was introduced in 2015 in Trusts mainly for secondary care aiming to prompt inquiry to better understand why it is that Black and Ethnic Minority (BME) staff often receive poorer treatment in the workplace and to facilitate the closing of those gaps.
In Nov- Dec 2021 HEE and NHSEI undertook the first-ever London-wide survey to include Primary Care and researched about their experiences of discrimination and harassment within the primary care sector.
Research and evidence strongly suggest that less favourable treatment of BME staff in the NHS, through poorer experience or opportunities, has a significant impact on the efficient and effective running of the NHS and adversely impacts the quality of care received by all patients. To learn more about the NHS WRES and see the full reports, please click here.
To learn more about the WRES framework for Primary Care, please see the overview and key aims.
NCL is planning to deliver a number of initiatives to support the primary care workforce to implement WRES which will primarily focus on enabling people to work comfortably with race equality. To do this we will work by focusing on communications and engagement, we will work to change the deep rooted cultures of race inequality in the system, learn more about the importance of equity, to build capacity and capability to work with race.
What is it?
The WRES framework in Primary Care serves as a toolkit and guide which employers may use to begin to implement anti-racist initiatives to ensure all staff work in an environment that is safe, welcoming, and free of discrimination. Providing a better working environment for people working in primary care is key to improving staff wellbeing, recruitment, and retention, leading to higher quality patient care and more sustainable service.
The aims of the framework:
To provide all primary care organisations and employers (including Dentistry, Pharmacy, Optometry and General Practice) with tools to implement and embed anti-racist initiatives and enable meaningful, long-term cultural change.
To facilitate awareness and access to local, system and regional resources supporting the framework for Primary Care organisations and employers.
To promote a safe, welcoming, and free of discrimination environment in primary care
How can I access it?
NHS Futures: https://future.nhs.uk
The toolkit, resources, supporting work and national papers are held in a repository which you can access on the dedicated NHS futures page. Click on the following link to sign up: https://future.nhs.uk/about.
Click search to Primary Care WRES page: London Primary Care Transformation- Workforce – London Workforce Race Strategy in Primary Care: https://future.nhs.uk/LRpcncdSG/view?objectId=30908976.
Is this compulsory?
No, it is not compulsory to use the framework. The framework simply brings together tried and tested information and resources in one place and the WRES Strategy, maps the 8 agreed workstreams agreed across the 5 ICS areas.
Frequently Asked Questions on the NHS Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES), click here.
Sign up below to the Diversity Matters in NHS Primary Care - Campaign Pledge to demonstrate your commitment to your employees, colleagues and patients in creating a supportive and inclusive environment free from any racist and discriminatory behaviours for everyone!
