NHS England has launched a new sexual misconduct policy framework for ICBs to ‘adopt and adapt’ to ensure staff members who experience inappropriate sexual behaviours at work are supported.
This policy includes the option of anonymous reporting for the first time to make it ‘easier for staff to come forward’.
In a letter to ICBs, NHS England chief executive, Amanda Pritchard, said there was ‘absolutely no place for sexual misconduct or abuse of any kind within the NHS and we must not allow it to be tolerated’.
It said the national policy would help systems to ensure they are taking the right steps to ‘recognise, report and prevent’ sexual misconduct, as well as helping staff to understand their rights and responsibilities and get advice and support.
From 26 October, the Worker Protection Act 2023 will put a legal duty on employers to be proactive and take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of employees.
NHS England has launched an e-learning resource on sexual misconduct to help raise awareness and understanding among staff, and it has committed to greater data collection of incidents.
It comes after ICBs were told last year to appoint a domestic abuse and sexual violence lead who should now be in place.
In April, the NHS staff survey found that 8% of staff had been the target of at least one incident of unwanted behaviour of a sexual nature in the past 12 months.
The letter said: ‘For anyone who has experienced sexual abuse or misconduct at work, it is an extremely distressing and isolating experience, and so we must do everything in our power to ensure our staff feel able to speak up, and have absolute confidence that they will be given the support they need when they do.
‘This is a crucial opportunity for the NHS to ensure that all our staff know where to access support relating to sexual misconduct, and how to report an incident of sexual misconduct safely when it is experienced or witnessed.
‘While this is just one of the first steps to ending harmful sexual behaviour in the NHS, and more action is needed, we strongly encourage every leader across the NHS to look at how they adopt these measures from today, to ensure that when our staff come to work, they feel safe and supported – together we can make a difference.’
Earlier this month, ICBs were also told to identify digital clinical safety officers in the primary care patient safety strategy. Part of this is ensuring primary care staff have access to Freedom to Speak Up guardians.
