FOI release

Freedom of Information request on the MHRA employment process (FOI 22/501)

Published 31 May 2022

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FOI 22/501

28th February 2022

Dear

Thank you for your email of   where you have asked “I wish to make an FoI request regarding the number of diversity officers, salaries, economic and social benefits with metrics used to assess these, and benefits to patient health in the NHS from these utterly unproductive jobs at a time when many are financially very hard squeezed and public services at perhaps their worst in my 70 years.”

The Agency employs two roles for which diversity and inclusion is a part of their remit. One is Grade SEO (£40,051) and the other Grade EO (£27,135). Both of these roles contribute to ensuring that the Agency meets its legal obligations in respect of the Equality Act 2010. Just some of the many business benefits of valuing diversity in the workplace include:

  1. Equality and diversity add new skills to teams People who come from different backgrounds can add new experiences, talent, and skills — all of which improve our collective performance and therefore impact positively on patients and the public.
  2. Diversity in the workplace promotes innovation A diverse team can generate more creative, innovative ideas, bringing together a vast array of workplace, social and cultural experiences in finding new answers to problems, thereby impacting positively on patients and the public.
  3. Diversity and inclusion open us up to new markets When people join teams with differing social, geographical and cultural backgrounds, an organisation instantly obtains new knowledge in a global world of interaction and business. New staff may for example bring language skills fundamentally important in building international relationships or experience related to the culture and working practices of countries we work with, thereby impacting positively on patients and the public.
  4. Valuing diversity improves reputation
    Introducing diversity into recruitment and retention planning improves our ability to both attract and retain the best staff, while equally leading to happy and proud workforce, thereby impacting positively on patients and the public.

If you have a query about the information provided, please reply to this email.

If you disagree with how we have interpreted the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in answering your request, you can ask for an internal review. Please reply to this email, within two months of this reply, specifying that you would like an Internal Review to be carried out.

Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

If you were to remain dissatisfied with the outcome of the internal review, you would have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. Please bear in mind that the Information Commissioner will not normally review our handling of your request unless you have first contacted us to conduct an internal review. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Yours sincerely

MHRA Customer Experience Centre

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