Workplace discrimination has reached its highest level in five years, with 9.25% of staff reporting experiences of discrimination, according to the latest annual NHS staff survey.
More than half (54.09%) of those affected said the discrimination they received from patients and the public was based on their ethnic background.
Violence against NHS workers has also surged, with one in seven staff members (14.38%) experiencing physical attacks from patients, their relatives, or the public in 2024.
This marks an increase of over 13% from 2023, though numbers remain below record levels seen during and after the pandemic (2020–2022).
Additionally, 1 in 12 NHS workers reported experiencing unwanted sexual behaviour—including offensive comments, touching, and assault.
The proportion of staff affected was similar to the level reported in 2023 (8.79%) when the question was first included in the survey.
Dr Navina Evans, chief workforce, training and education officer for NHS England, expressed concern over the findings, stating:
“It’s totally unacceptable that NHS staff are facing physical violence, sexual assault and discrimination from patients and the public while at work.”
She urged anyone affected to report incidents to their employer and the police.
Dr Evans emphasised that the most important way to stamp out incidents of unacceptable behaviour is “to give people the confidence to report it.”
She underscored that “the voice of every member of NHS staff is heard through these surveys and acted upon.”
Dr Evans noted that every integrated care board and NHS trust in England has signed up to the NHS sexual safety charter to enforce a zero-tolerance approach to letting unwanted behaviours go unaddressed within the workplace.
A separate national education and training survey found that 13% of learners had experienced or witnessed unwanted, harmful or inappropriate sexual behaviour from patients.
The 2024 NHS staff survey saw record participation, with 744,358 respondents—the highest in its 20-year history—while over 43,500 took part in the national education and training survey.
Despite concerns over discrimination and workplace safety, the survey highlighted positive trends in staff satisfaction.
The number of NHS workers satisfied with flexible working options reached its highest level in five years (57.65%), and staff achieving a good work-life balance also peaked at 56.61%—the highest since the question was introduced in 2021.
Moreover, staff satisfaction with pay has improved, rising from 25.48% in 2022 to 32.05% in 2024.
Satisfaction with line managers continues to grow, with 7 in 10 workers (72.72%) saying they feel valued at work.
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