UK National Health Service Vows To Remove Ethnicity Pay Gaps Within 10 Years

UK National Health Service (NHS) announced on Monday it had pledged to remove ethnicity pay gap and ensure the share of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) in its top management to be not less than the NHS's overall average by 2028.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd October, 2018) UK National Health Service (NHS) announced on Monday it had pledged to remove ethnicity pay gap and ensure the share of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) in its top management to be not less than the NHS's overall average by 2028.

According to the NHS workforce stats released in late September, senior white NHS managers are paid thousand of Pounds per year more than BAME managers. Additionally, the share of BAME workers among NHS non-medical staff stood at 17 percent in June, but only 11 percent of senior managers and 6.4 percent of the organization's top management represented these ethnic minorities.

"I have set an ambitious goal for the NHS to ensure its leadership is as diverse as the rest of the workforce within the next ten years, supporting a culture that allows diversity to thrive at all levels," Health Minister Stephen Barclay said.

Diversity in the NHS staff is far above nation-wide level, the minister noted.

"However, it is unacceptable that this is still not reflected at the very top of the organisation - this kind of inequality has no place in a modern employer and I'm determined to tackle it," he stressed.

The NHS has long been struggling with staff shortages due to funding cuts, which have led to increased pressure on hospitals, longer lines and delays in receiving treatment. This has been dubbed a health crisis by the country's opposition and watchdogs. Staff numbers have also drastically decreased due to thousands of EU nationals quitting their jobs in the sector over Brexit-related uncertainty.