Introduction
BPAS is the UK's leading abortion care charity, providing safe, confidential, high-quality abortion treatment for more than 55 years. We also provide contraception, STI testing and vasectomy services, and 98% of the women we see have their abortion treatment paid for by the NHS (or other government departments). This report fulfils our obligation to the NHS bodies that commission our services under NHS Standard Contracts.
As a healthcare provider bound by the NHS standard contract, BPAS are required to report annually on key equality metrics as part of the Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) and the Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES). This report and accompanying action plan fulfil our obligations in this regard.
BPAS is committed to a policy of equal opportunity and welcomes applicants from all sections of the community as we recognise the value that a diverse workforce brings.
Work following the previous year’s reporting, has seen changes and additions to some questions in the annual employee survey to help reporting, with the aim to therefore help direct positive change.
BPAS will continue to encourage data capture and reporting through the recruitment process and utilising the full offering of the HR self-service system.
BPAS will issue the annual employee survey in 2023 using an external provider to try and encourage more honest feedback and participation and hope to gain more insight into equality issues.
Data drawn from BPAS’ HR system, recruitment monitoring systems and annual employee survey were used to populate the 2023 WRES and WDES reports. Several of the required metrics could not be meaningfully reported upon due to the small number of BME (Black and Minority Ethnic) or disabled employees within the current workforce.
As of June 2023, the proportion of BME employees within the workforce was 7%, the same as it was in June 2022. The ethnicity of a high proportion of employees was still unknown (50%).
In terms of Disability, 3% of the workforce were recorded as having a disability with 39% of the workforce undeclared or unknown. Representation of disabled members at executive and board level is lower than that found in the overall workforce, with no individuals working at that level declaring a disability.
There appears to be some inequality in the recruitment shortlisting of both BME and disabled candidates, with proportionately fewer BME and disabled candidates being appointed into job roles from shortlisting compared to white and non-disabled candidates.
The accompanying action plan highlights key actions that BPAS will undertake in response to these findings.
Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) Metrics
Workforce Ethnic Groupings (Indicators 1 & 9)
| Category of staff | No of staff in group | % declared as White | % declared as BME | % undeclared or unknown |
| Clinical 'Support' Staff (unqualified care workers, HCAs etc) | 48 | 22.9% | 4.2% | 72.9% |
| Clinical 'Middle' Staff (nurses, midwives etc) | 316 | 34.2% | 7% | 58.8% |
| Clinical 'Senior' Staff (directors, heads, deputy heads etc) | 69 | 52.2% | 7.3% | 40.5% |
| Non-clinical 'Support' Staff (domestic staff, admins etc) | 264 | 46.5% | 7.6% | 45.9% |
| Non-clinical 'Middle' Staff (team leaders etc) | 16 | 43.8% | 6.2% | 50% |
|
Non-clinical 'Senior' Staff (directors, heads, deputy heads, TUMs etc) |
96 | 56.2% | 6.2% | 37.6% |
| 'VSM' Staff (SLT) | 9 | 100% | 0% | 0% |
| Board members | 12 | 83% | 27% | 0% |
Recruitment (Indicator 2)
| Recruitment status | No in group | % declared as White | % declared as BME | % undeclared or unknown |
| Shortlisted | 761 | 66% | 33% | 1% |
| Interviewed | 349 | 80% | 19% | 1% |
| Appointed | 190 | 12% | 2% | 86% |
| Relative likelihood of white candidates being appointed from shortlisting compared to BME candidates | 3* |
*A figure below one would indicate that white candidates are less likely than BME candidates to be appointed from shortlisting. A figure over one would indicate that BME candidates are less likely than white candidates to be appointed from shortlisting. This data is reported with caution due to the low number of employees who declared their ethnicity.
Disciplinary Action (Indicator 3)
| Relative likelihood of BME staff entering the formal disciplinary process compared to white staff | 0* |
*A figure below one would indicate that BME staff members are less likely than white staff to enter the formal disciplinary process. This data is reported with caution due to the low number of employees involved in disciplinary proceedings.
Non- Mandatory Training and CPD (Indicator 4)
BPAS will not report on this indicator because our learning and development recording practices do not allow an assessment of any disparate access to non-mandatory training and CPD by ethnic grouping.
Indicators 5 - 8
Care should be taken when interpreting these results due to the small self- reported BME respondent size (n = 37). We have taken the decision to publish these findings in the interest of transparency and as a reflection of our commitment to improving workplace equality.
This data has been collated from the 2022 Employee Survey, in which the following questions were asked:
In the last 12 months, have you experienced:
- harassment at work from clients, service users or other members of the public?
- harassment at work from managers or other colleagues?
- bullying at work from clients, service users or other members of the public?
- bullying at work from managers or other colleagues?
The following data is taken as the percentage positive response (‘Strongly agree’ and ‘Agree’) from the 2022 Employee Survey.
This data has been taken from the 2022 Employee Survey question: In the last 12 months, have you experienced:
- discrimination at work from clients, service users or other members of the public?
- discrimination at work from managers or other colleagues?
Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES) Metrics
Workforce Disability Metrics (1 & 10)
| Category of staff | No of staff in group | % declared as non Disabled | % declared as Disabled | % undeclared or unknown |
| Clinical 'Support' Staff (unqualified care workers, HCAs etc) | 48 | 31% | 0% | 69% |
| Clinical 'Middle' Staff (nurses, midwives etc) | 316 | 51% | 4% | 45% |
| Clinical 'Senior' Staff (directors, heads, deputy heads etc) | 69 | 68% | 0% | 32% |
| Non-clinical 'Support' Staff (domestic staff, admins etc) | 264 | 66% | 1% | 33% |
| Non-clinical 'Middle' Staff (team leaders etc) | 16 | 50% | 6% | 44% |
| Non- clinical 'Senior' Staff (directors, heads, deputy heads, TUMs etc) | 96 | 66% | 4% | 30% |
|
'VSM' Staff (SLT) |
9 | 100% | 0% | 0% |
| Board members | 12 | 100% | 0% | 0% |
Recruitment (Metric 2)
| Relative likelihood of non-disabled candidates being appointed from shortlisting compared to Disabled candidates | 0.19* |
*A figure below one would indicate that non-disabled candidates are less likely than disabled candidates to be appointed from shortlisting. A figure over one would indicate that disabled candidates are less likely than non-disabled candidates to be appointed from shortlisting. This data is reported with caution due to the low number of employees who declared a disability.
Formal Capability Process (Metric 3)
BPAS will not report on this indicator as no formal capability processes were conducted this year.
Metrics 4 – 9
Care should be taken when interpreting these results due to the small self- reported disabled respondent size (n = 46). We have taken steps to encourage self-reporting, including regular internal communications prompting employees to regularly update their information.
4a) This data has been collated from the 2022 Employee Survey, in which the following questions were asked:
In the last 12 months, have you experienced:
- harassment at work from clients, service users or other members of the public?
- harassment at work from managers or other colleagues?
- bullying at work from clients, service users or other members of the public?
- bullying at work from managers or other colleagues?
4b) We are unable to report on the percentage of disabled staff compared to non-disabled staff saying that the last time they experienced harassment, bullying or abuse at work, they or a colleague reported it, as this is not a question that was asked in the 2022 Employee Survey.
The following data is taken as the percentage positive response (‘Strongly agree’ and ‘Agree’) from the 2022 Employee Survey:
This data has been collated from the 2022 Employee Survey, in which the following question was asked:
In the last 12 months, have you felt pressure to attend work while unwell?
The following data is taken as the percentage positive response (‘Strongly agree’ and ‘Agree’) from the 2022 Employee Survey to the question:
My line manager values my work.
We are unable to report on the percentage of disabled staff saying that their employer has made adequate adjustment(s) to enable them to carry out their work, as this is not a question that was asked in the 2022 Employee Survey.
a) The Engagement score has been calculated as the overall average positive response (‘Strongly agree’ and ‘Agree’) of the following 2021 Employee Survey statements:
- I would recommend BPAS as a place to work
- I have no plans to leave BPAS
- I understand how my job contributes to BPAS' objectives
- I look forward to going to work
- I feel like I am part of BPAS' vision for the future
We encourage open discussion between colleagues, management and peers through informal conversation or through the people forum where specifics points can be put forward for review.
