Majority of NHS trusts provide no dedicated training to prevent sexual harassment

Only one NHS trust in England provides dedicated training to prevent sexual harassment, according to research, raising concerns that the NHS is failing to adequately protect staff and patients.

According to health union figures, sexual harassment of staff is pervasive. A 2019 survey by Unison found that one in 12 NHS staff had experienced sexual harassment at work during the past year, with more than half saying the perpetrator was a co-worker. In a recent BMA survey, 91% of female doctors reported sexism, 31% had experienced unwanted physical contact and 56% unwanted verbal comments.

Yet research by the University of Cambridge, published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine found that the vast majority of NHS trusts did not provide any dedicated training to prevent sexual harassment.

The report analysed data from freedom of information requests from 199 trusts in England and found that just 35 offered their workers any sort of active bystander training (ABT), while only one NHS trust had a specific module on sexual harassment.

ABT is designed to give individuals the skills to call out unacceptable behaviour, from workplace bullying to racism and sexual misconduct. It is widely used by the military, universities and Whitehall, including the Home Office.

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Source: The Guardian, 5 May 2023