PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Health Services: Females (10 October 2022)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Women's Health Strategy published on 30 August 2022, what discussions she has had with NHS England on increasing the representation of women from a wide range of backgrounds at senior levels across the health and care system.

Asked by:
Feryal Clark (Labour)

We have regular discussions with NHS England on a range of issues. The Government accepted the seven recommendations made in ‘Leadership for a collaborative and inclusive future’, published June 2022, This includes positive equality, diversity and inclusion action in health and social care to enforce existing equal opportunity and fairness measures, such as increasing the representation of under-represented groups in training and development opportunities and in senior roles.

The NHS Confederation’s Health and Care Women Leaders Network aims to empower women working in health and care to secure senior and board level positions and challenge bias against women in the workplace. The NHS Confederation report that the proportion of women on National Health Service boards has increased to 44.7%.

The NHS People Plan sets out targeted action to promote equality, including reforming recruitment and promotion practices to increase under-represented groups at senior levels. NHS England has established six regional talent boards in England to improve the diversity of leadership at senior levels. In addition, NHS England is increasing representation of women at senior levels, through tackling the gender pay gap.

Answered by:
Robert Jenrick (Conservative)
19 October 2022