Responding to Attracting, supporting and retaining a diverse NHS workforce, a new Nuffield Trust report commissioned by NHS Employers, the deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, Saffron Cordery said:

"It is absolutely unacceptable that NHS staff experience discrimination.

"While there has been progress in addressing discrimination in the NHS, change has not happened fast enough.

"Culture changes must be delivered from the top down, with buy in from boards and senior leaders who demonstrate the behaviours expected and needed – collectively and individually.

"We agree with the recommendation that there must be more resource given to this work. This includes training and seniority of equality, diversity and inclusion-focused roles, to keep this as a top organisational priority.

"We also agree that more nuance is needed in the language and approaches used to address these issues, and more resource given to recognition and understanding of disparities beyond those of race and gender. However, getting it right on race and gender will help us to get it right to counter discrimination against all protected groups.

"Detailed data collection is vital to this work, and the latest planning guidance asks for trusts to focus on the robustness of this data. However, trust leaders have told us that analytical capacity can be a barrier, and more dedicated staffing and resource is needed for all providers to meet this target. What is key is translating what the data tells us into solutions that have an impact in terms of tackling structural racism.

"Trust leaders will welcome the recommendation of 'an official repository of solutions' to help share best practice in tackling inequality. There is excellent work being done locally, but structure and backing at a national level will help give this more weight."