This report provides an overview of the NHS Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES) metrics data analysis and an update on NHS England’s work to advance workplace disability equality. It is for trust board members, people professionals, disabled staff, equality leads and others who are interested in improving the working and career experiences of disabled people.

The Workforce Disability Equality Standard 2023 report is the fifth annual report with a specific focus on disabled staff, measured against ten metrics.

The report has the following key roles:

• To enable organisations to understand the challenges that exist, with the aim of encouraging improvement by learning and sharing good practice.
• To provide a national picture of WDES in practice, to colleagues, NHS organisations and the public on the developments in the workforce disability equality agenda.