Research Project on Minority Face Employment in NHS England

Research Project

ABSTRACT
The study provides detailed information about the disadvantages black and ethnic
minorities face in employment in NHS England. The study will attempt to demonstrate the extent
to which discrimination based on race is pervasive within NHS, England. Research and evidence
strongly suggest that less favourable treatment of Black and Ethnic minority’s staff in the NHS,
through poorer experience and opportunities, has significant impact on the efficient and effective
running of the NHS and adversely affects the quality of care received by patients. The
government has been aware of this over several years and various policies have been put in place
in an effort to mitigate the situation. This concern is because of the very high proportion of
BMEs that the NHS hires and whose services help, in no small measure in sustaining the
services. Researcher need to find out the overall pattern of the discrimination in NHS recruitment
in recent years and taking an account of different initiatives with adverse implications for NHS
employed people.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT.....................................................................................................................................2
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................1
Title.........................................................................................................................................1
Background of the research....................................................................................................1
Rationale of research..............................................................................................................1
Aim and Objectives................................................................................................................2
Research questions.................................................................................................................2
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW.........................................................................................3
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.............................................................................5
Research design......................................................................................................................5
Data collection........................................................................................................................6
Research methods...................................................................................................................7
Data Analysis..........................................................................................................................8
Validity and reliability............................................................................................................8
Limitations..............................................................................................................................8
Ethical issues..........................................................................................................................9
Time Plan................................................................................................................................9
CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS...............................................................................11
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION.....................................................16
Conclusion............................................................................................................................16
Recommendation..................................................................................................................17
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................18
APPENDIX....................................................................................................................................20

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
Title
Discrimination against black and minority ethnic (BME) staff in the UK in access to
employment, in opportunities once employed, and treatment in employment.
Keywords
 Social inequality
 Discrimination under society
 Social inequality in England
 Discrimination on the basis of race in England
 Problems faced by black minorities in England
 Challenges to the ethnic minorities in England
Background of the research
Discrimination against black and minority ethnic (BME) staff in the UK in access to
employment, in opportunities once employed, and treatment in employment, is longstanding and
well evidenced. Specific statutory changes, such as the Race Relations Act 2000 and other policy
initiatives were all attempts aimed at encouraging equality in recruitment and treatment of BME
staff by the NHS.
Yet little has changed. Prompted by the awareness that the problem of discriminatory
selection was still being practised within some trusts, very radical changes were introduced in
2013 via the Health and Social Care Act. This was followed in the same year by the review of
the Public Sector Equality Duty.
Rationale of research
Discrimination is one of critical aspect in the present research which creates a diverse
issues in terms of equality promotion. It has impacted the workplace environment in UK at vast
level. It means the understanding about such issue is necessary in order to accomplish key goals
and objectives. It means rationale behind the study is to analyse the issues that black and
minority ethnic staff faces in UK due to discrimination. Another rationale was to analyse the
factors that can advance sustainability.
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Aim and Objectives
Aim: Discrimination against black and minority ethnic (BME) staff in the UK in access to
employment, in opportunities once employed, and treatment in employment.
Objectives: To know the concept of Discrimination
 To analyse the concept of BME
 To evaluate the policies and legislation of the NHS England for BME
Research questions
 What is discrimination by appointment
 What is discrimination
 What is BME
 What are the different policies and legislation of the NHS England for BME
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CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
Regrettably, the likelihood of white applicants being appointed is more than three times
greater than that of BME applicants, and the likelihood of white applicants being appointed
approaches that of BME applicants. Within the NHS, studies over the past two decades have
shown that discrimination in pay and grading, promotion and career advancement. (Beishon et
al, 1995; Coker, 2001; Pudney and Shields, 2000).
In the light of such evidence, the NHS sought to develop initiatives such as Positively
Diverse, Improving Working Lives, Race for Health and later the Equality Delivery System
(EDS) Framework, which many NHS Trusts now use to try to improve equality for patients,
carers and staff, to analyse performance, and to identify equality objectives (NHS WORKFORCE
RACE EQUALITY STANDARD 2015 DATA ANALYSIS REPORT FOR NHS TRUSTS, 2016). At
the launch of the EDS, the then NHS chief executive, Sir David Nicholson said:
“Equality must be at the heart of the NHS- its values, processes and behaviours- if we are
to create a service that is personal, fair and diverse, that meets the needs of every patient and all
staff.” In 2013, there was a revised NHS Constitution which reminded all stall and employers
that staff must be treated fairly, equally and free from discrimination. The evidence shows that in
almost every aspect of employment that commitment is breached (NHS WORKFORCE RACE
EQUALITY STANDARD 2015 DATA ANALYSIS REPORT FOR NHS TRUSTS, 2016). There is
no evidence to show the impact of various NHS initiatives to counter race discrimination. A
Race Equality Audit carried out in 2006 by the Healthcare Commission found that only 1% of
NHS Trusts had fully met the requirements of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, (NHS
WORKFORCE RACE EQUALITY STANDARD 2015 DATA ANALYSIS REPORT FOR NHS
TRUSTS, 2016) and only 6 percent had even met two of the three requirements. Earlier in 2013,
the National Institute for Innovation and Improvement reported:
 “Since the Breaking Through programme began in 2003, the numbers of BME staff at an
executive director level or higher has not significantly increased.”
 The available evidence suggests, therefore, that race discrimination, at least in
employment continues in the NHS.
 The 2008HSJ survey (Santry, C. 2008) and the South East BME Network Survey both
suggested race discrimination in recruitment remained a significant problem.
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