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Diversity data: paramedics - October 2023

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) information held by the HCPC with regards to the nine protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010

This factsheet provides key EDI information for paramedics and how the demographics of this group compare to the demographics of HCPC registrants overall.

Demography: 
For age and sex: all current registrants. 

For other protected characteristics: all current registrants who have submitted EDI data via the EDI portal or survey:

  • 100% of paramedics
  • 83% of all professions combined

Period:
As at 2 October 2023.

Diversity data factsheet: paramedics

  • Question asked:
    "What was your date of birth"

    Note:
    This was used to calculate current age at the point of production of this factsheet.

     
    Paramedics
    All professions
    Age Count % Count %
    Not recorded 5 0% 45 0%
    Recorded 36,215 100% 333,230 100%
             
    20-29 7,515 21% 57,080 17%
    30-39 10,370 29% 101,535 30%
    40-49 8,555 24% 85,535 26%
    50-59 7,620 21% 61,630 18%
    60-69 2,070 6% 24,310 7%
    70+ 85 0% 3,140 1%
      36,215 100% 333,230 100%

    edifactsheet_age_PA_20231006web.jpg

  • Question asked:
    "Do you consider yourself to have a disability or to be a disabled person?"

    Accompanying note in portal:
    In the UK, a disability is defined as "a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term* adverse effect on a person's ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities" You may have none, one, or more conditions that you believe are covered by this definition. Please answer how you feel this definiton applies to you. (*long-term means that the impact has lasted, or is expected to last, for 12 months or more)

    Note:
    HCPC does collect further data on long term conditions, however the protected characteristic is disabilty status rather than disabling condition.

     
    Paramedics
    All professions
    Disability Count % Count %
    Not recorded 0 0% 25 0%
    Recorded 36,005 100% 277,660 100%
             
    No 32,215 89% 252,800 91%
    Yes 2,165 6% 14,930 5%
    Prefer not to say 1,625 5% 9,930 4%
      36,005 100% 277,660 100%

    edifactsheet_disability_PA_20231006web.jpg

  • Question asked:
    "Which of the following best describes your ethnic origin? Ethnicity is defined as including colour, ethnic or national origin, or nationality. Please choose whichever answer best reflects how you think of yourself."

    Portal category options:
    - White
    - Asian or Asian British
    - Black, African, Caribbean or Black British
    - Mixed or multiple ethnic groups
    - Other ethnic group
    - Prefer not to say

    Note:
    The categories presented here are the high level categories collected by HCPC. Respondents are also asked for a lower level category (18 options) based on their high level response. 

     
    Paramedics
    All professions
    Ethnicity Count % Count %
    Not recorded 0 0% 0 0%
    Recorded 36,000 100% 277,685 100%
             
    White 32,660 91% 214,155 77%
    Asian 575 2% 29,850 11%
    Black 300 1% 13,745 5%
    Mixed 600 2% 5,660 2%
    Other 160 0% 3,715 1%
    Prefer not to say 1,705 5% 10,560 4%
      36,000 100% 277,685 100%

    edifactsheet_ethnicity_PA_20231006web.jpg

  • Question asked:
    "Is the gender you identify with the same as your sex registered at birth?"

    Accompanying note in portal:
    Your gender identity may be the same as your assigned sex, but it may be different. You may identify as the opposite gender to your assigned sex, you may identify with neither, or with a self-described gender identity.

     
    Paramedics
    All professions
    Gender Reassignment Count % Count %
    Not recorded 20 0% 210 0%
    Recorded 35,990 100% 277,470 100%
             
    Yes 34,280 95% 268,010 97%
    No 105 0% 635 0%
    Prefer to self-describe 35 0% 280 0%
    Prefer not to say 1,570 4% 8,545 3%
      35,990 100% 277,470 100%

    edifactsheet_genderreassignment_PA_20231006web.jpg

  • Question asked:
    "What is your legal marital or registered civil partnership status?"

    Portal category options:
    - Married
    - Never married and never registered in a civil partnership
    - Divorced
    - In a registered civil partnership
    - Separated but still legally married
    - Widowed
    - Formerly in a civil partnership which is now legally dissolved
    - Separated but still legally in civil partnership
    - Surviving partner from a registered civil partnership
    - Prefer not to say

     
    Paramedics
    All professions
    Marriage and Civil Partnership Count % Count %
    Not recorded 0 0% 25 0%
    Recorded 36,000 100% 277,665 100%
             
    Married (M)  15,055 42% 134,740 49%
    Never married or CP 13,535 38% 97,830 35%
    Separated & div. (M) 2,655 7% 14,980 5%
    In Civil Partnership (CP) 250 1% 1,840 1%
    Separated, not div. (M) 750 2% 3,760 1%
    Widowed (M)  145 0% 1,820 1%
    Separated & dis. (CP) 40 0% 185 0%
    Separated not dis. (CP) 35 0% 110 0%
    Widowed (CP)  10 0% 40 0%
    Prefer not to say 3,525 10% 22,360 8%
      36,000 100% 277,665 100%

    edifactsheet_marriage_PA_20231006web.jpg

  • Question asked:
    "Do you consider your self to fall under the protected characteristic of 'pregnacy & maternity', as per the Equality Act 2010? 'Pregnancy' refers to the condition of being pregnant or expecting a baby, and 'maternity' refers to the period of 26 weeks after birth. The Equality Act 2010 protections also cover a someone who has had a miscarriage."

     
    Paramedics
    All professions
    Pregnancy and Maternity Count % Count %
    Not recorded 5 0% 100 0%
    Recorded 35,995 100% 277,580 100%
             
    No 32,850 91% 247,665 89%
    Yes 1,065 3% 13,830 5%
    Prefer not to say 2,080 6% 16,085 6%
      35,995 100% 277,580 100%

    edifactsheet_pregnancy_PA_20231006web.jpg

  • Question asked:
    "What is your religion or strongly held belief, if any?"

    Portal category options:
    - No religion or strongly held belief
    - Christian (Including Church of England, Catholic, Protestant and all other Christian denominations.)
    - Muslim
    - Hindu
    - Spiritual
    - Buddhist
    - Any other religion or belief
    - Jewish
    - Sikh
    - Prefer not to say

     
    Paramedics
    All professions
    Religion or Belief Count % Count %
    Not recorded 0 0% 15 0%
    Recorded 36,000 100% 277,665 100%
             
    No religion 19,770 55% 116,780 42%
    Christian 11,525 32% 106,730 38%
    Muslim 365 1% 11,720 4%
    Hindu 80 0% 7,505 3%
    Spiritual 440 1% 5,430 2%
    Buddhist 160 0% 2,015 1%
    Other 225 1% 1,925 1%
    Jewish 80 0% 1,700 1%
    Sikh 55 0% 1,300 0%
    Prefer not to say 3,300 9% 22,560 8%
      36,000 100% 277,665 100%

    edifactsheet_religion_PA_20231006web.jpg

  • Question asked:
    "What is your Sex?"

    Accompanying note in portal: 
    This is the sex you were assigned at birth and we asked you to provide this information when you registered with the HCPC. For births registered in the UK, this will either be male or female. However, some other countries may include 'intersex' as an option. We also ask if your gender identity is different from the sex you were assigned at birth. Your gender identity may be the same as your assigned sex, but it may be different. You may identify as the opposite gender to your assigned sex, you may identify with neither, or with a self-described gender identity.

     
    Paramedics
    All professions
    Sex Count % Count %
    Not recorded 0 0% 70 0%
    Recorded 36,225 100% 333,205 100%
             
    Female 16,015 44% 238,970 72%
    Male 18,765 52% 86,620 26%
    Intersex 10 0% 35 0%
    Prefer not to say 1,435 4% 7,580 2%
      36,225 100% 333,205 100%

    edifactsheet_sex_PA_20231006web.jpg

  • Question asked:
    "Which of the following best describes your sexual orientation?"

    Portal category options:
    - Heterosexual/straight
    - Bisexual
    - Gay woman/lesbian
    - Gay man
    - Pansexual
    - Queer
    - Asexual
    - Prefer to self-describe
    - Prefer not to say

     
    Paramedics
    All professions
    Sexual Orientation Count % Count %
    Not recorded 0 0% 15 0%
    Recorded 36,005 100% 277,665 100%
             
    Heterosexual 29,845 83% 241,050 87%
    Bisexual 985 3% 5,330 2%
    Lesbian 1,015 3% 3,905 1%
    Gay man 940 3% 3,455 1%
    Pansexual 105 0% 865 0%
    Queer 75 0% 745 0%
    Asexual 20 0% 270 0%
    Prefer to self-describe 20 0% 210 0%
    Prefer not to say 3,000 8% 21,835 8%
      36,005 100% 277,665 100%

    edifactsheet_sexualorientation_PA_20231006web.jpg

Help and guidance

Protected characteristics: The nine protected charateristics of the Equality Act 2010: Age, disability, ethnicity, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation.

Registrants: An active registrant on the HCPC register at the time of the analysis.

Respondents: Registrants who provided other protected characteristic EDI data via the portal or survey.

Count: Number of registrants (age & sex) or respondents (other protected characteristics).

Not recorded: Total number of registrants/respondents for whom this information is not held. For respondents these are due to data collection system errors and only includes those who have attempted to give this information.

Recorded: Total number of registrants/respondents for whom this information is held.

All professions

Age & Sex:  All active registrants on the HCPC register, regardless of profession. 

Other protected characterictics:  All respondents of EDI regardless of profession.

EDI-Data-User-guide.png

Supply of EDI data is voluntary and therefore is not complete for all registrants. As such the tables do not represent the entire register. Consideration of the coverage as detailed in the Demography section is important when using or generalising the findings.
 
Most registrants complete or update their EDI data at renewal, so it may be up to two years old.
 
All questions have a "prefer not to say" option which are included in the tables as it is a valid response and hence indicates that the question has been asked.
 
A small number of records were been affected by now resolved issues with the data collection systems that allowed no reponse to be recorded for certain questions. These are shown as 'Not recorded' in the tables.
 
Rounding has been used to control the risk of disclosure of personal information. Counts have been rounded to the nearest five. Therefore a count of 0 in a table represents either 0, 1 or 2 registrants with that characteristic. 

Published:
09/10/2023
Resources
Data
Subcategory:
Registrant data, Diversity data
Profession
Paramedics
Page updated on: 09/10/2023
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