‘Medical Workforce Race Equality Standard Five Years On’ Report Highlights Progress and Ongoing Challenges in NHS Equality
‘Medical Workforce Race Equality Standard Five Years On’ Report Highlights Progress and Ongoing Challenges in NHS Equality
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Distinguished panel and NHS leaders deliberate data, diversity, and the next steps for staff from minoritised ethnic groups
Distinguished panel and NHS leaders deliberate data, diversity, and the next steps for staff from minoritised ethnic groups
NHS leaders, clinicians, and community representatives gathered as NIHR ARC Northwest London and Imperial College London’s Ethnicity and Health Unit launched The Medical Workforce Race Equality Standard (MWRES) Five Years On, a landmark report examining progress and ongoing challenges for medical staff from minoritised ethnic groups.
Despite widespread transport strikes disrupting travel across London, the Ethnicity and Health Unit pressed ahead with the launch, underscoring a commitment to advancing workforce race equality. An impressive turnout matched the determination. Stakeholders filled the room in person, while a quickly arranged virtual option enabled many more to join, ensuring the discussion reached a broad and engaged audience. Available online, the report sets out key findings and actionable recommendations to drive lasting change across the NHS medical workforce.
The Medical Workforce Race Equality Standard (MWRES) was first published by NHS England in 2020, with a complete data report in 2021, providing the world’s first comprehensive assessment of differences in experience between White staff and those from minoritised ethnic groups. Although the plan was to publish annual updates, no follow-up MWRES report was published, leaving a gap in understanding progress over the past five years. The new, independent report, MWRES Five Years On, fills this gap by drawing together published data from NHS England, the GMC, Medical Schools Council, and other sources. It provides the first cohesive overview of changes and persistent challenges, and sets out actionable recommendations to advance racial and ethnic equality across the NHS medical workforce.
At a time when the UK is grappling with visible expressions of intolerance and hostility, and reports of discrimination within NHS workplaces continue to emerge, MWRES Five Years On offers a critical, evidence-based assessment of disparities affecting the medical workforce. It provides clear direction on creating a fairer, more inclusive NHS that reflects and serves its diverse communities.
MWRES_Digital_2025.pdfProgress and Persistent Challenges
Progress and Persistent Challenges
The report highlights both progress and persistent challenges for medical staff from minoritised ethnic groups. The report showcases a stronger representation of doctors from minoritised ethnic groups within Royal Colleges and marked a significant fall in disproportionate referrals of doctors from minoritised ethnic groups to the General Medical Council (GMC). Black and minority ethnic (BME) doctors now make up the majority of those registered with the GMC, primarily driven by a rapid increase in international medical graduates. Underrepresentation remains in senior leadership and academic roles, with only 14.7% of people from minoritised ethnic groups represented at the level of a professor. While the likelihood of disproportionate disciplinary referrals has decreased, differential attainment continues in postgraduate training and specialty exams, with BME and IMG doctors experiencing lower pass rates and higher rates of deferred revalidation. The report also underscores ongoing inequities in workplace experience, including harassment, discrimination, and unequal access to career progression opportunities. The report provides clear recommendations for improving data collection, enhancing induction and training support, and promoting competent, inclusive leadership across the NHS.
Distinguished Voices on MWRES Progress
Distinguished Voices on MWRES Progress
The MWRES Five Years On launch brought NHS leaders, clinicians, and experts together to discuss the Standard’s priorities, developments, and challenges. Professor Mala Rao CBE and Mr Ganesh Sathyamoorthy hosted the event, and Professor Partha Kar OBE was invited to co-host. The distinguished panel featured Miss Ekpemi Irune, Consultant Laryngology and Robotic Surgeon; Ms Tista Chakravarty-Gannon, Head of National Engagement at the GMC; and Evelyn Mensah, Consultant Eye Surgeon and WRES Expert at London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust.
Mala, who led the authorship of the 2020, 2021 and 2025 MWRES reports, directed and narrated the event discussions with Ganesh and Partha, opening the event and bringing a personal aspect to the conversation. Ganesh shared the origins of the Ethnicity and Health Unit and its importance in creating equity for those from ethnically minoritised groups while sharing his son’s personal experience of racial tolerance in Britain, recently highlighted in The Guardian. Partha shared his career journey and noted a significant milestone in paediatric diabetes care due to awareness and education. In 2019, a black child with Type 1 Diabetes had half the chance of a white child getting access to a continuous glucose monitor, 11% versus 20%. Due to data, challenging bias, and issues raised within staff, access is now at par with 95% versus 94% today.
Vijay Nayar presented a summary of the data presented in the report. NHS Chief Executive Sir James Mackey confirmed his personal support by underscoring the importance of the agenda and the ongoing need to advance race equality across the medical workforce.
Among 58 attendees, the discussion started with a unanimous call for MWRES to be published regularly and for the IMG induction programme to be mandated. The attendees shared their desire to see further change, including disaggregated data in future MWRES reports, the need for cultural training within examiner boards and requests for a GPWRES report, a suggestion supported by MWRES Five Years On report findings. Over 65,000 GPs are registered with the GMC with a licence to practice, but GPs are not currently included in the MWRES or WRES data collections, leaving their training, progression, and outcomes largely untracked. All agree that it is vital that evidence is turned into meaningful action.
J_Mackey.mp4Action Needed: Closing the Gap in NHS Race Equality
Action Needed: Closing the Gap in NHS Race Equality
Five years after MWRES began, staff from minoritised ethnic groups still face barriers in leadership, training, and progression. Academia and specific doctor grades remain underrepresented, while induction and support for international and SAS doctors are patchy. The report demands robust UK-wide data, intersectional monitoring, and capable, inclusive leadership. Without immediate, sustained action, the NHS risks leaving inequalities unchallenged and its workforce unreflective of the communities it serves.
Authors
Authors
The report was authored by Professor Mala Rao, Professor Partha Kar, Professor Vijay Nayar, and Professor Mo Al-Haddad. Annexes were prepared by Professor Partha Kar, Dr Vaishali Parulekar, and Mrs Vinita Shekar.
Acknowledgements
Acknowledgements
We gratefully acknowledge the support of Tista Chakravarty-Gannon, Head of Strategic Delivery and National Engagement at the GMC, and the contributions of partner organisations, including NHS Employers, NHS England, NHS Resolution, the British Medical Association, and the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, whose data and insights made this report possible.
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