Top health chief slams ‘shameful’ level of sexual harassment in the NHS

Sexual harassment levels in the NHS are “shameful”, with incidents happening all the time, one of the country’s top health chiefs has admitted.

Dr Navina Evans, chief workforce officer at NHS England, urged leaders to act on shocking levels of sexual harassment, following exposes by The Independent.

Asked about the one in eight workers who have reported unwanted sexual behaviour, she said: “It is shameful... I could tell you stories from my own experience from when I was a trainee right up to last year.

Last year, the NHS published its “sexual safety charter” which requires organisations to commit to eliminating sexual harassment and assault among staff and patients.  However, not all 240 NHS trusts have signed up to the charter yet, according to Dr Evans. She said: “It is really important that every organisation signs up.”

The NHS staff survey this year found one in eight workers – around 58,000 – had reported experiencing unwanted sexual behaviour in the last 12 months, while one in 26 reported experiencing similar harassment from a work colleague.

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Source: Independent, 27 April 2024