Full title of this project: Evaluation of the implementation of the Social Care Workforce Race Equality Standard (SCWRES) during the 12-month test phase, April 2020 to March 2021

Background

The Social Care Workforce Race Equality Standard (SCWRES) is currently being implemented across 18 Local Authority (LA) Phase 1 sites. The purpose of the SCWRES is to ensure that employees from black and minority ethnic backgrounds gain equal access to career opportunities and receive fair treatment in the workplace. LAs are collecting data about black and minority ethnic representation in the workforce at all levels of seniority, and other workforce metrics, such as promotions pathways, movement to leadership roles, access to non-mandatory training, experiences of bullying and harassment, and experiences of racism at work. We were commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to conduct an early process evaluation of the SCWRES implementation. There are likely to be several phases of development and implementation of the SCWRES. The evaluation of Phase 1 will inform those further initiatives. The long-term ambition is to implement the SCWRES throughout every English LA.

Aims

To collect data on the initial reactions or experiences of the SCWRES as it is being implemented in the first 18 LA sites.

1. To identify and challenges or difficulties of implementation of the SCWRES.
2. To consider any lessons for future phases.

Timescale

1 August 2021 – 31 October 2021

Research team

Kritika Samsi, Jill Manthorpe, James Blewett, with Carol Stewart and Everett Henry as consultant interviewers

Funding

NIHR Policy Research Programme

Methods

A method of process evaluation is being applied to understand barriers and facilitators to policy implementation. For this, we interviewed significant people about the design and early implementation of the SCWRES.

Confidential interviews have been conducted with 4 groups of participants:

1. Policymakers who designed the SCWRES
2. Site Leads (in government departments including the lead department, the DHSC, which is overseeing and supporting the 18 Phase 1 sites)
3. Programme leads of the SCWRES from each LA
4. Representative from each site’s Human Resources (HR) Department, where relevant and available

Data are being analysed thematically to respond to original study questions and to identify key learning for the DHSC and partners to draw on in further roll-out of the SCWRES to other LAs.

Outputs

A draft report was produced at the end of October 2021, and presentations held for DHSC. An article was submitted to a peer review journal in early 2022. Kritika Samsi and Jill Manthorpe presented their findings at the DHSC Evaluation Network in February 2022. The SCWRES was discussed by members of the Unit's Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement Group in July 2021 to help inform the study.