One in nine staff at the East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust say they have experienced discrimination at work, according to an NHS survey.

More than half of the staff employed by the Trust responded to the 2024 National NHS Staff Survey, which was conducted last autumn.

And on Wednesday (May 14) the results of the survey were presented to a meeting of the Trust board.

According to the survey, 11.6 per cent of those responding to the survey had personally experienced discrimination at work from patients or service users, their relatives or other members of the public at the Trust in the previous 12 months.

And 10.8 per cent said they had personally experienced discrimination at work from a manager, team leader or other colleague.

In response, a report presented to the board points to the Trust's "continuing" work to reduce discrimination – from service users, patients and staff.

It highlights the equality diversity and inclusion (EDI) strategy actions and the newly established EDI steering group.

And it highlights the 'courageous conversations programme' that it says specifically focusses on race discrimination in the workplace.

Overall the report says the survey shows significant improvement in eight of the nine "domains" in the staff survey.

And – based on the staff survey results – the Trust is reported to rank as the fourth most improved Trust in the country.

The areas that are said to be "significantly improved" – based on the NHS People Promise – are: 'we are compassionate and inclusive', 'we each have a voice that counts', 'we are safe and healthy', 'we are always learning', 'we work flexibly' and 'we are a team'.

In addition the reports ranks the Trust as "significantly improved" in 'staff engagement' and in "morale".

In a statement issued to the Local Democracy Reporting Service following the meeting, Trust board chair Anita Day acknowledged the improvements signposted by the survey, as well as the Trust's commitment to taking action when informed about instances of discrimination.

"More staff than ever say that our trust is a better place to work, and we are 4th most improved in the country," said Anita Day.

"There was significant improvement in eight of the nine areas reported in the survey.

"However we will always look at the areas we need to do better, and it's right that the Board take very seriously the issue of discrimination, particularly racial discrimination.

"Fewer staff are reporting discrimination by managers and colleagues, but more staff have reported discrimination by patients and members of the public.

"We are committed to taking action when our staff tell us about instances of discrimination – whether by colleagues or from patients and the public – and we will continue with actions in our equality, diversity and inclusion strategy to ensure our staff feel safe and able to deliver the best possible care."

Trust chief executive Adam Sewell-Jones also referred to the results of the survey in the written report he presented to the board.

"The trust has been named as one of the most improved trusts in the country, following the publication of the 2024 NHS Staff Survey," says the report.

"The trust was listed as the fourth most improved nationally, with a four per cent increase compared to 2023.

"The trust also saw a 4.8 per cent increase of staff "agreeing" or "strongly agreeing" they would recommend it as a place to work.

"The feedback of our staff is so important in helping us to improve their experience and how we deliver the very best care for patients.

"The NHS Staff Survey is focused around the nine NHS People Promises. The trust saw improvements in all nine of the People Promises, significantly improving in eight of these."

The Trust, according to the report, recorded an overall survey response rate of 50.41 per cent, which is 1.8 per cent higher than the average nationally.

And that, according to the report presented to the Trust board, makes the results "statistically accurate".

Responses to the survey were collected between September 9 and November 29 last year (2024).