For indicators where the number of respondents is fewer than ten, we will denote the count as "<10". This approach ensures that while the data is included in our displays, the specific figures are not disclosed to prevent the identification of individuals.
Confidentiality is a fundamental aspect of the WRES project. We have reinforced this by several independent reviews of information governance and data protection protocols. Data is consistently presented in a representational format without citing individuals, thereby maintaining confidentiality.
Ensuring completeness of data in ESR is an issue which all NHS organisations work hard to resolve. Ensuring staff know why their data is being collected and how it is being used to implement change is a key part of this. Staff will be encouraged to do so at their annual appraisals, and with regular pulse notifications.
The introduction of the WRES is another reason for staff to share their data, and the WRES team are working with ethnic minority staff networks to raise awareness of the importance of data sharing and building confidence that the data will be used to highlight the stigma and discrimination they experience. We hope that when staff start to see benefits accruing from targeted actions based on the shared data, there will be a cascade effect for other staff.
We recognise that staff confidence in the anonymity of the data they share is key, and can absolutely confirm that survey data is presented in a way such that individuals cannot be identified. ESR data is aggregated together and equally cannot be traced to any individual.
The WRES data collection will look specifically at the rates of disciplinary and capability processes being applied to staff, categorised by their ethnicity. Where organisations show significant disparity between ethnicities, that will form the focus of their required corrective actions.
WRES guidance was developed with key partners to define what is meant by each indicator, to explain how organisations should approach data collection, identify the sources for the data and calculate each indicator outcome.
The template for data collection was tested with live data from an NHS Wales health board to identify where the data will come from, and the size and shape of the data. The WRES project team ran drop-in sessions for data managers, in January 2023 to work through the template and answer questions. We will be collecting feedback from workforce data managers who have completed the first data collection to improve the process for next year.
In 2021, Welsh Government consulted on the Race Equality Action Plan (REAP). Responses to the consultation suggested the failure to reduce racism was due, in part, to government, public, private and third sector organisations not fully meeting their duties under the Equalities Act 2010. It was suggested that the Public Service Equality Duty under the Equality Act 2010 needed to be fully met, and that the powers under the Act should become central to the implementation of the Anti-racist Wales Action Plan (2022).
Statutory requirements within the NHS planning framework place a duty on NHS Boards to seek assurance regarding compliance with the Well-being of Future Generations Act 2015, the Socio-Economic Duty 2020, the Equality Act 2010 and the now published ArWAP.
We have not seen the elimination of racial discrimination in society that the Act was designed to achieve. It is clear that legislative frameworks alone will not bring about an anti-racist Wales, or anti-racist health and care organisations. We are making sure the existing legislation is complemented with clear implementation goals and actions – for example, we are using the NHS Performance Framework which outlines expectations of NHS organisations to ensure compliance with WRES data collection and reporting.
Fig 24 (page 29) from the National report 2024 - NHS Wales illustrates how WRES data collection and analysis works on an annual cycle. NHS bodies submit their WRES data annually in April, with local analysis and a National Report being provided in July- Sept. NHS bodies will be expected to identify and respond to the WRES data with local action in October and report progress through the annual policy assurance cycle.
This is a key criterion for success of the WRES. Creating equality in senior management in health and social care will be a core component of the WRES monitoring. To achieve this, the pipeline of talent needs to be established by overhauling recruitment and promotion processes. Growing the talent in our workforce and eliminating through incremental actions the under-representation in senior roles, will become inevitable once we have inclusive HR processes.
In addition, the WRES team are working with other parts of Welsh Government to ensure there is an approach that is conscious of race inequality in the appointment of non-executives in all our public sector organisations.
The core purpose of the WRES is to offer deep data insights into where the inequalities are felt most sharply in each organisation – as such the ethos of co-produced working is embedded in the philosophy of the implementation of the WRES. Mentoring and education have a part to play in board maturity around inclusion. It has to be allied to reform of processes however, in order that the education gained from a mentoring relationship can be translated into definitive action.
Staff networks are essential to help support the workforce, and tangible evidence that Boards support staff networks, is an outcome of an ArWAP action in the health chapter. It is a key factor in ensuring leaders understand the challenge staff are facing and find solutions which are going to make a difference to workforce lived experience. Organisational Executive Equality Champions will have a key role in supporting and developing the maturity of their staff networks.
Sponsorship and coaching of staff are certainly evidenced to influence talent development of minoritised staff. A key action every board executive could undertake immediately is to sponsor a minoritized colleague and be an authentic ally to the wider workforce community.
Evidence shows minoritised people are more likely to be offered mentoring with a relatively junior mentor, while white colleagues are more likely to be actively sponsored by a senior executive. Informal sponsorship is often subject to unintentional bias, especially affinity bias (which is the tendency of people to promote people ‘like themselves’, particularly in terms of race, gender, class and sexual orientation). Formal programs help remedy this.
The WRES is a data tool to find out the lived experience of staff and make sure changes are made in the practices and culture of the employing organisation. Once specific issues are identified in each organisation, action can be taken to address them.
A Framework for Speaking up Safely in health and social care has been published to develop confidence in the workforce that robust processes are in place and that they can trust that action will be taken. This Framework will be further developed with anti-racist principles to make sure that Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic staff in NHS Wales can speak up without fear of discrimination or detriment.
The WRES has a website on the NHS Wales platform. It has information about the history of the WRES, along with resources and updates. In September 2024 we published the first National report for Directly Employed NHS staff.
We have developed 2 animations, that are available to view on the website under the resources tab. One animation explains the background and aims of the WRES, the second animation focuses on anonymity.
There is a regular social media schedule, and an ask that Health Boards, Trusts and Special Health Authorities share posts locally for a wider reach.
We developed a communications pack for organisations which includes posters, digital slides, suggested communications and social media messages to be shared by comms teams locally.
The project team have engaged widely with NHS Wales through groups, forums, events, and workshops, and have worked closely with partners to develop the WRES data set.