Sexual safety in healthcare – organisational charter

Those who work, train and learn within the healthcare system have the right to be safe and feel supported at work.

Organisations across the healthcare system need to work together and individually to tackle unwanted, inappropriate and/or harmful sexual behaviour in the workplace.

We all have a responsibility to ourselves and our colleagues and must act if we witness these behaviours.

As signatories to this charter, we commit to a zero-tolerance approach to any unwanted, inappropriate and/or harmful sexual behaviours towards our workforce. We commit to the following principles and actions to achieve this:

  1. We will actively work to eradicate sexual harassment and abuse in the workplace.
  2. We will promote a culture that fosters openness and transparency, and does not tolerate unwanted, harmful and/or inappropriate sexual behaviours.
  3. We will take an intersectional approach to the sexual safety of our workforce, recognising certain groups will experience sexual harassment and abuse at a disproportionate rate.
  4. We will provide appropriate support for those in our workforce who experience unwanted, inappropriate and/or harmful sexual behaviours.
  5. We will clearly communicate standards of behaviour. This includes expected action for those who witness inappropriate, unwanted and/or harmful sexual behaviour.
  6. We will ensure appropriate, specific, and clear policies are in place. They will include appropriate and timely action against alleged perpetrators.
  7. We will ensure appropriate, specific, and clear training is in place.
  8. We will ensure appropriate reporting mechanisms are in place for those experiencing these behaviours.
  9. We will take all reports seriously and appropriate and timely action will be taken in all cases.
  10. We will capture and share data on prevalence and staff experience transparently.

These commitments will apply to everyone in our organisation equally.

NHS England, all NHS provider trusts and all integrated care boards have now signed the sexual safety charter.

Other organisations connected with delivering care for patients are also able to sign the charter.

To sign up to the charter and for more information on the national domestic abuse and sexual violence work programme, please email england.domesticabusesexualviolence@nhs.net.

Non-NHS organisations which have signed the charter

For further information about the Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Programme, please visit the FutureNHS collaboration platform: Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Programme – Futures Collaboration Platform (login required)

  1. 18 Week Support
  2. Absolute Care Homes (Central) Limited
  3. Active Care Group
  4. Ainsdale Medical Centre
  5. Albion Street Group Practice
  6. Alice House Hospice
  7. Alliance Medical Ltd
  8. Allied Health Professionals and Social Work Professionals
  9. Allied Health Professionals Suffolk, Community Interest Company
  10. Allied Health Professions
  11. Allied Medical Group Ltd
  12. Ambulance Transfers Ltd
  13. Appleby Medical Practice
  14. ARG Healthcare
  15. Arthur Rank Hospice Charity
  16. Association of Ambulance Chief Executives
  17. Association of Anaesthetists
  18. Association of Breast Surgery
  19. Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland
  20. Aurora Medcare
  21. Barrow Smile Centre Ltd
  22. Benenden Hospital
  23. Birchwood Dental Practice
  24. Blackfriars Medical Practice
  25. BrisDoc Healthcare Services Ltd
  26. British and Irish Orthoptic Society
  27. British Association of Dental Nurses (BADN)
  28. British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
  29. British Cardiovascular Society
  30. British Dietetic Association
  31. British Medical Association
  32. British Obesity and Metabolic Surgery Society (BOMSS)
  33. British Orthopaedic Association
  34. British Society of Gastroenterology
  35. Bromley Healthcare CIC
  36. Care and Custody Police Services
  37. Castlegate and Derwent Surgery
  38. Castle Douglas Medical Group
  39. Castlehead Medical Centre
  40. Cavell
  41. CBC Health Federation
  42. Central Medical Services Ltd
  43. CHEC
  44. Circle Health Group
  45. City Health Care Partnership
  46. Clarendon Surgery
  47. Cleveland Clinic London
  48. Clinical Eye Service Ltd
  49. College of Operating Department Practitioners
  50. College of Paramedics
  51. Collingwood Health Group
  52. Community Hosting and Support
  53. Community Dental Services CIC
  54. Compleo Health Limited
  55. Cora Health
  56. Cornerstone Medical Practice and Irlam Clinic
  57. CSH
  58. Cumberland House Surgery
  59. Cumbria Health Ltd
  60. Cumbria Medical Services, NHS
  61. Cygnet Health Care
  62. Dearden Avenue Medical Practice
  63. DHU Healthcare
  64. Diagnostic Healthcare Ltd
  65. Diaverum UK
  66. East Berkshire Primary Care
  67. East Coast Community Healthcare CIC
  68. East Midlands Immediate Care Scheme
  69. East Norfolk Medical Practice
  70. Edinburgh Medical School, The University of Edinburgh
  71. Ellenbrook Medical Centre
  72. Edge Hill University Medical School
  73. Elysium Healthcare
  74. Epsomedical
  75. ER Systems Global
  76. Everyturn Mental Health
  77. Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine – Member of Academy of Medical Royal Colleges
  78. Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management
  79. Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds
  80. Fairford Medical Limited
  81. First Community Health and Care
  82. Fortius Clinic
  83. Fountain Practice
  84. Genesis Care
  85. GKT School of Medical Education, King’s College London
  86. Gloucestershire Managed Services
  87. Glovers Lane Surgery
  88. GTD Healthcare
  89. Hardcore Medical and Ambulance Services
  90. Harwood Group Practice
  91. HCA Healthcare
  92. Head of Workforce Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
  93. Health Services Safety Investigations Body
  94. Health Transportation Group UK Limited
  95. Healthcare Management Trust
  96. HomeLink Healthcare
  97. Horder Healthcare
  98. Hospice in the Weald
  99. Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association
  100. Hospital Pharmacy Services Nottingham t/a Trust Pharmacy
  101. Independent Health Group
  102. Independent Healthcare Providers Network
  103. InHealth Group
  104. Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine
  105. Integrated Care 24
  106. Iris Care Group
  107. KIMS Hospital
  108. King Edward VII’s Hospital
  109. Kooth Digital Health Limited
  110. KSS Air Ambulance Service
  111. Lambda Medical Ltd
  112. Langworthy Medical Practice P87027
  113. Leicester Medical School
  114. Livewell Southwest
  115. LivingCare Group
  116. Living Well Partnership
  117. Locala Health and Wellbeing
  118. Longtown Medical Practice
  119. Low Moor Medical Practice
  120. Mayford House Surgery
  121. Medneo Diagnostics UK Limited
  122. Meadows Health Centre
  123. Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit
  124. Modality Partnership
  125. Monton Medical Centre Salford P87620
  126. MSI Reproductive Choices UK
  127. Navigo Health and Social Care CiC
  128. NES Healthcare UK
  129. New Victoria Hospital
  130. Newmedica
  131. NHS Arden and GEM Commissioning Support Unit
  132. NHS Blood and Transplant
  133. NHS Counter Fraud Authority
  134. NHS Employers
  135. NHS Professionals
  136. NHS Property Services
  137. NHS Resolution
  138. NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit
  139. Nimbuscare
  140. North of England Commissioning Support Unit
  141. Northenden Group Practice
  142. Norwich Medical School
  143. Nottingham CityCare Partnership CIC
  144. Nouvita Healthcare
  145. Nuffield Health
  146. One Medical group
  147. OneMedical Property
  148. Operose Health
  149. Orchard Medical Centre
  150. OSD Healthcare
  151. Parkview Medical Centre
  152. Pathfinder Group
  153. PHL Group Ltd
  154. Phoenix Hospital Group
  155. Practice Plus Group
  156. Primary Eyecare Services Limited
  157. Primary Healthcare Darlington
  158. Queenscourt Hospice
  159. Raby Road Dental Centre
  160. Ramsay Health Care UK
  161. Reuts Medical Practice
  162. Richard House Children’s Hospice
  163. Royal College of Anaesthetists
  164. Royal College of Emergency Medicine
  165. Royal College of General Practitioners
  166. Royal College of Nursing
  167. Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
  168. Royal College of Ophthalmologists
  169. Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
  170. Royal College of Physicians
  171. Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
  172. Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
  173. Royal College of Podiatry
  174. Royal College of Psychiatrists
  175. Royal College of Radiologists
  176. Royal College of Surgeons of England
  177. Royal Pharmaceutical Society
  178. Royal Trinity Hospice
  179. Salford Medical Centre and The Quays Practice
  180. School of Medicine, University of Sunderland
  181. Salford Primary Care Together
  182. Shoen Clinic
  183. Sirona care and health
  184. Sodexo Health and Care
  185. Sorrel Bank Medical Practice
  186. Soul Optometrists Ltd
  187. Southampton Medical School
  188. SpaMedica Ltd
  189. Spectrum Community Health CiC
  190. Spencer Private Hospitals Limited
  191. Spencer Street Surgery
  192. Spire Healthcare Limited
  193. Springfield Medical Centre
  194. Springhill Hospice
  195. St Andrews Medical Centre
  196. St Clare Hospice
  197. St George’s School of Health and Medical Sciences
  198. St John and St Elizabeth Hospital
  199. St Josephs Hospital
  200. St Oswald’s Hospice
  201. St Thomas Medical Group
  202. Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse (STADA)
  203. Stonehill Medical Centre
  204. Sulis Hospital Bath
  205. Survivors In Transition
  206. SurvivorsUK
  207. TABA Primary Care Network
  208. The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges
  209. The British Association of Urological Surgeons
  210. The Employee Resilience Company Ltd
  211. The Faculty of Public Health
  212. The Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare
  213. The Gill and Oakbank Medical Centres
  214. The Height General Practice – SSP Health
  215. The Lakes Medical Centre (Salford)
  216. The Limes Medical Centre
  217. The Local Primary Care Federation
  218. The London Clinic
  219. The New Foscote Hospital
  220. The Private Clinic
  221. The Royal College of Emergency Medicine
  222. The Royal College of Pathologists
  223. The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
  224. The Sides Medical Centre
  225. The Society of Radiographers
  226. The Springs Medical Practice
  227. The Survivors Trust
  228. The University of Manchester (Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health)
  229. The University of Sheffield (Faculty of Health)
  230. The Willows Surgery (Salford)
  231. Totally Group PLC
  232. Tower House Surgery
  233. Tower Hamlets GP Care Group Community Interest Company
  234. Transform Healthcare
  235. UK Council for Educators of Medical Professionalism
  236. UNISON Health Group
  237. University of Glasgow
  238. University of Portsmouth
  239. University of Suffolk Dental CIC
  240. Vanguard Healthcare Solutions Ltd
  241. Vascular Society of Great Britain and Ireland
  242. Viaduct Care CIC
  243. Vida Sheffield
  244. Vita Health Group
  245. Vine House Surgery
  246. Wareham Surgery
  247. Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick
  248. We Are Survivors
  249. We Stand
  250. Welbeck Health Partners and Welbeck Group
  251. West Kent Primary Care
  252. Willowbrook Hospice
  253. Wiltshire Health and Care
  254. Windrush Medical Practice
  255. Woodchurch Dental Practice
  256. Wolstanton Medical Centre
  257. Working Party on Sexual Misconduct in Surgery
  258. Your Healthcare
  259. Your Medical Services
  260. Zetland Medical Practice