Breaking barriers: improving diversity in NHS communications

Key points

• The NHS faces significant challenges in both recruiting and retaining communications professionals from ethnic minority backgrounds, as well as from other diverse backgrounds.

• The Taskforce for Diversity in NHS Communications was established in September 2024 by the NHS Confederation, NHS Providers and Centre for Health Communication Research, to enhance diversity in the NHS communications and engagement workforce, with a particular focus on ethnic diversity and representation in the first instance.

• As part of this work, the taskforce has taken a comprehensive, insight-led approach to understand the experiences, challenges and aspirations of communications professionals from ethnic minority backgrounds in particular.

• Our insight has shown that individuals join the NHS with high career aspirations, often seeking senior positions and opportunities for career development and progression. However, the reality for those working within NHS communications often falls short of these aspirations, and there are substantial gaps between BME communicators' career aspirations and their NHS experience and outcomes.

• Ethnic minority communicators consistently identify institutional racism and structural disadvantage as part of their working lives within the NHS. Many reported experiencing microaggressions, subtle biases and a lack of cultural understanding within their workplaces, negatively impacting their sense of belonging, job satisfaction and overall wellbeing. 

• As a consequence, the NHS communications profession is facing a talent drain: 26 per cent of BME communications professionals surveyed for this report indicate that they expect to leave within three years. They expect to pursue greater happiness and satisfaction in roles outside the NHS, driven by better financial rewards, fairer treatment, improved workplace culture and better career progression opportunities.

• This report summarises the taskforce’s insights and provides an overview of the challenges and opportunities for enhancing diversity and inclusion within the NHS communications profession. It highlights key themes, tangible recommendations and methods for tracking and measuring success to advance the improvement of access, experience and outcomes for BME communications professionals. Many of the insights and recommendations are relevant to other forms of diversity that are lagging behind in the profession.