A race equality review by NHS South East Coast has found the plight of black and minority ethnic staff is improving but there is still much work to be done.

The review comes more than a year after an independent report by the region’s BME network revealed non-white staff were significantly less likely to reach board positions and more likely to complain of bullying and be involved in disciplinaries. An HSJ analysis showed the findings were representative of the NHS.

All NHS trusts across the region have action plans to address the recruitment, staff development and promotion of BME staff

NHS South East Coast’s follow-up review found significantly fewer BME staff had been involved in disciplinaries, grievances, employment tribunals and bullying and harassment cases since 2008.

In mental health trusts, the percentage of BME staff involved in bullying and harassment cases has dropped from more than half of all cases to none.

The number of non-executive board directors has increased from four to six, representing 5 per cent of the total.

NHS South East Coast director of clinical and workforce development Sue Webb said: “We’re certainly going in the right direction.

“We’ve still got a lot of work to do but this is a highly complex change programme.”

There is still an uneven and disproportionate dispersal of BME staff in lower pay bands and an under-representation of BME staff in some trusts.

All NHS trusts across the region have action plans to address the recruitment, staff development and promotion of BME staff into senior grades, as well as the numbers involved in human resources procedures.

Ms Webb denied that practices had previously been discriminatory but said trusts were being encouraged to intervene earlier when problems affecting individual staff members arose.

She said: “It’s about not necessarily taking a line mananagement approach but a more supportive, advisory approach.”

The strategic health authority is carrying out a more detailed examination of each trust in the region.

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