The Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) is a national NHS programme that helps NHS Essex understand and improve the workplace experiences of staff from Black, Asian and other minority ethnic backgrounds.
WRES compares the experiences of minority ethnic staff with white staff across a range of indicators. This helps NHS organisations identify inequalities and take action to improve fairness and inclusion.
What WRES measures
The programme uses nine indicators to assess workforce equality. These look at areas such as:
- recruitment and selection
- career progression and promotion
- access to training and development
- representation in senior roles
- staff experience, including bullying, harassment and discrimination
This information helps NHS Essex understand where improvements are needed.
How NHS Essex uses WRES data
We use findings from the standard to:
- identify inequalities and gaps
- develop actions to improve race equality
- support career development
- create an inclusive and supportive workplace
- improve staff wellbeing and experience
Why the Workforce Race Equality Standard matters
This national framework helps NHS Essex ensure staff are treated fairly and have equal opportunities.
Improving workforce equality helps us create a more inclusive workplace and deliver better services for our communities.
How WRES supports improvement
WRES helps NHS Essex track progress over time and ensure actions are making a difference. We use this information alongside staff feedback and workforce data to identify priorities, improve inclusion, and create a workplace where everyone feels supported and valued.
Our WRES report
We publish our WRES data each year to show progress and identify areas for improvement.
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You can read more about the Workforce Race Equality Standard on the NHS England website