Peninsula comment regarding NHS sexual misconduct and sexual violence reports

Between 2017 and 2022, more than 35,000 incidents of sexual misconduct or sexual violence were recorded on NHS premises. Most incidents (58%) involved patients abusing staff.

Despite these shocking statistics, a BMJ and Guardian investigation found that fewer than one in 10 NHS trusts actually have a policy that deals with sexual harassment.

In fact, according to the same investigation, more than 4,000 NHS staff were accused of rape, sexual assault, harassment, stalking, or abusive remarks towards other staff or patients over the same time period, yet only 576 of those faced disciplinary action.

Kate Palmer, HR Advice and Consultancy Director at Peninsula, says “When you go to work, you should be able to expect to be treated with dignity and respect, and free from unwanted or inappropriate sexual or otherwise physical or verbal contact. This is part of an employer’s duty of care. Robust measures should be put in place to prevent any assault, harassment, or violence from happening in the workplace, however, we can clearly see that not all employers are doing this or doing it effectively.

“The NHS is an organisation that deals with the public in times that can often be of high stress and worry, so it is understandable that sometimes tempers may become frayed. However any organisation should have relevant policies in place informing employees what to do in situations like this.

“Managers should also take responsibility for keeping accurate records of any incidents of abuse or harassment, so that perpetrators can be identified, and measures taken to prevent them from striking again. The fact that this is no longer a requirement for some NHS managers, and a comprehensive central database of all abuse of staff is no longer kept, means that staff are not being given proper protection and could allow abusive behaviour conducted against or by members of staff to continue.

“Every employer has a duty to create a safe working environment, where employees, contractors, and visitors (including patients) are treated with dignity and respect. There should be a zero-tolerance policy towards any form of abuse or harassment, and any criminal behaviour such as sexual assault should be immediately reported and investigated. Failure to do so could leave an organisation at risk, both financially and reputationally.”