Earlier this month The Royal College of Surgeons England issued a press release commenting on the recent NHS Staff Survey results published earlier this month.

The survey revealed 8.67% of NHS staff have been the target of unwanted sexual behaviour in the NHS from patients, service users, their relatives or other members of the public. 3.84% of staff said that they had been the target of at least one incident of unwanted behaviour of a sexual nature in the workplace in the last 12 months.

The college, internationally renowned for its active role in education, awareness and standard setting, took a firm stand against sexual harassment and abuse in the workplace. In the press release they highlight how they are committed to developing and signposting impactful, targeted resources and training to help stamp out sexual misconduct, sexual harassment, and sexual assault.

In paving the way for the future of surgery, the college clearly highlights the need to take an active role in improving workforce conditions and wellbeing.

You can read the full press release below:

NHS Staff Survey results published today show that almost 9% of all NHS staff and 18% of medical and dental staff in training have been the target of unwanted sexual behaviour in the NHS from patients, service users, their relatives or other members of the public.  The data also shows that nearly 4% of NHS staff have been the target of unwanted sexual behaviour from staff/colleagues in the NHS. 

Professor Vivien Lees, Vice President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England) and lead on sexual misconduct, responded to the findings:

“For the first time, the NHS Staff Survey asked respondents if they had been the target of unwanted behaviour of a sexual nature in the workplace. Gathering this data is an important step as it gives us a better picture of the scale of the problem. 

“It is essential that staff members feel empowered to report instances of misconduct without fear of reprisal or negative impact on their career progression. They also need to feel confident that reports will be believed. As an important first step, we have written to NHS Trusts that haven’t yet signed the NHS sexual safety in healthcare charter, encouraging them to do so as soon as possible.  RCS England is actively lobbying accountable government and NHS organisations on the Working Party on Sexual Misconduct in Surgery (WPSMS) recommendations including the need for reforms of reporting and investigation processes.

“There is absolutely no place in healthcare for these abhorrent behaviours. RCS England is committed to a zero-tolerance approach to sexual misconduct, and we will actively work to eradicate this behaviour in surgery and healthcare.  The charter, which we have signed, requires healthcare organisations to ensure appropriate policies and reporting mechanisms are in place for sexual misconduct.” 

You can view the press release in full on the RCS England website here.