Sexual misconduct is a problem across healthcare, says NHS chief | British news

NHS England staff can anonymously report their colleagues for sexual harassment from today, as health bosses warned inappropriate behavior “will not be tolerated”.

The health service also plans to introduce more pastoral support and even special leave for people who have experienced sexual misconduct at work.

It comes after one Sky News investigation heard that intimidation and abuse are “rife” in the ambulance service.

Dozens of paramedics have now spoken out about a culture in which being groped or subjected to inappropriate comments and jokes is common.

Some women even claimed to have been threatened with rape, or pressured into sexual acts to keep their jobs, while a female paramedic attempted suicide after being locked in the back of an ambulance and sexually assaulted by a colleague.

Whistleblowers also claimed that when they raised concerns, they were punished or ostracized.

But NHS England has warned that sexual misconduct is “a problem across the health service”, and other workers have come under scrutiny.

In a survey last September, nearly a third of female surgeons who responded said they had been sexually assaulted by a colleague, and two-thirds claimed to have been the target of sexual harassment.

NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard called this behavior ‘unacceptable’ and said that from today staff can report abuse anonymously using an online reporting tool. The reports are then reviewed and investigated by HR teams.

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The NHS also plans to provide pastoral support for people who have experienced sexual abuse, with special leave available if necessary. Staff are also being urged to undergo new training on what to do if they see or hear about sexual misconduct.

Amanda Pritchard added: “We must do everything in our power to ensure our employees feel empowered to express their views and have absolute confidence that they will get the support they need when they do .

“There is absolutely no place for sexual misconduct or abuse of any kind within the NHS – a place where staff come to work every day to provide compassionate care and support to others, and we know women are more likely to be affected by this – This is unacceptable, and we must not tolerate it.”

The NHS said the new policy covers all sexual misconduct at work – whether in an NHS environment, a virtual environment or elsewhere.

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It can include many things, from sexual assault or rape to sexual comments or jokes, showing sexual photos and staring at someone in a sexual way.

In this year’s NHS Staff Survey, almost 26,000 staff said they had been victims of abuse, touching, sexualised or inappropriate conversations or jokes from their colleagues.

Dr. Chelcie Jerwick is co-founder of Surviving in Scrubs, a campaign group highlighting sexual harassment in the NHS. She believes many more cases go unreported, but that the anonymous system is a great way to give people the opportunity to come forward.

‘I think there is certainly a culture of tolerance within the NHS towards this behavior and attitude.

“I know from my own personal experience of making complaints that it can be very difficult, not only to say something, but also because of the logistics of how you make a complaint. Is that up to your consultant, your line manager? Are you going directly to HR?

“It’s very difficult to navigate and it can be very scary, so it’s really great to see that NHS England is now offering this anonymous way of reporting.”