New diversity targets for NHS tech and data staff

NHS Digital is putting a range of measures in place to encourage greater diversity and inclusion in the organisation at all levels, particularly across senior pay bands, by 2025.

These will include:

• understanding and improving the experience of existing staff from under-represented groups
• offering positive action development opportunities aimed at under-represented groups
• improving internal and external recruitment and selection processes
• wider outreach and engagement to promote NHS Digital as an inclusive employer, and
• focusing on diversity among employees joining NHS Digital as graduates, apprentices and school leavers.

Currently, NHS Digital employs 45% female, 13% Black, Asian or minority ethnic, and 5% disabled staff among its 3,500 staff across England.

It will now strive for 19% of its staff to be Black, Asian or from minority ethnic groups, 14% to be disabled, and 50% to be female by 2025.

Simon Bolton, Interim Chief Executive at NHS Digital, said:

“Setting workforce representation targets is a symbol of our, and my personal, serious intent to make a difference. It certainly is not a quick fix; however it is a visible and public acknowledgement of our current position and acceptance to be held to account.

“It signals our commitment to work much harder to retain and develop our existing diverse talent and to do things differently to engage and attract colleagues from all backgrounds. This is particularly important in our senior leadership roles where we know we need to do better.

“Having a more diverse workforce is only part of the solution, and we need to work to make NHS Digital a truly inclusive environment. This starts with strong leadership and I am unapologetic in setting these expectations of the leadership community in NHS Digital, my executive team and myself as CEO.

“We are focused on building a workforce that better represents our customers, health and care staff and the communities we serve. We know that this will help us to develop and deliver better products and services, and ultimately enable improved healthcare outcomes.”

Future Care Capital has previously supported the call for a new approach to encourage diversity among health entrepreneurs.

FCC has suggested unless tech is developed with a diverse team which can challenge biases in data and technical applications, it falls short.