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 – FutureNHS Collaboration Platform (FutureNHS login required)

  1. 18 Week Support
  2. Absolute Care Homes (Central) Limited
  3. Active Care Group
  4. Alice House Hospice
  5. Alliance Medical Ltd
  6. Allied Health Professionals and Social Work Professionals
  7. Allied Health Professionals Suffolk, Community Interest Company
  8. Allied Health Professions
  9. Ambulance Transfers Ltd
  10. Appleby Medical Practice
  11. Arthur Rank Hospice Charity
  12. Association of Ambulance Chief Executives
  13. Association of Anaesthetists
  14. Association of Breast Surgery
  15. Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland
  16. Aurora Medcare
  17. Benenden Hospital
  18. BrisDoc Healthcare Services Ltd
  19. British and Irish Orthoptic Society
  20. British Association of Dental Nurses (BADN)
  21. British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
  22. British Cardiovascular Society
  23. British Dietetic Association
  24. British Medical Association
  25. British Obesity and Metabolic Surgery Society (BOMSS)
  26. British Orthopaedic Association
  27. British Society of Gastroenterology
  28. Bromley Healthcare CIC
  29. Care and Custody Police Services
  30. Castlegate and Derwent Surgery
  31. Castlehead Medical Centre
  32. Cavell
  33. Central Medical Services Ltd
  34. CHEC
  35. Circle Health Group
  36. City Health Care Partnership
  37. Cleveland Clinic London
  38. Clinical Eye Service Ltd
  39. College of Operating Department Practitioners
  40. College of Paramedics
  41. Community Hosting and Support
  42. Compleo Health Limited
  43. Connect Health
  44. CSH
  45. Cumbria Health Ltd.
  46. Cumbria Medical Services, NHS
  47. Cygnet Health Care
  48. DHU Healthcare
  49. Diagnostic Healthcare Ltd
  50. East Berkshire Primary Care
  51. East Coast Community Healthcare CIC
  52. East Norfolk Medical Practice
  53. Elysium Healthcare
  54. Epsomedical
  55. ER Systems Global
  56. Everyturn Mental Health
  57. Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine – Member of Academy of Medical Royal Colleges
  58. Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management
  59. Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds
  60. Fairford Medical Limited
  61. First Community Health and Care
  62. Fortius Clinic
  63. Genesis Care
  64. Gloucestershire Managed Services
  65. GTD Healthcare
  66. Hardcore Medical and Ambulance Services
  67. HCA Healthcare
  68. Head of Workforce Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
  69. Health Services Safety Investigations Body
  70. Health Transportation Group UK Limited
  71. Healthcare Management Trust
  72. HealthShare Group
  73. HomeLink Healthcare
  74. Horder Healthcare
  75. Independent Health Group
  76. Independent Healthcare Providers Network
  77. InHealth Group
  78. Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine
  79. Integrated Care 24
  80. Iris Care Group
  81. KIMS Hospital
  82. King Edward VII’s Hospital
  83. Kooth Digital Health Limited
  84. Leicester Medical School
  85. Livewell Southwest
  86. LivingCare Group
  87. Locala Health and Wellbeing
  88. Longtown Medical Practice
  89. Low Moor Medical Practice
  90. Mayford House Surgery
  91. Medneo Diagnostics UK Limited
  92. Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit
  93. MSI Reproductive Choices UK
  94. Navigo Health and Social Care CiC
  95. NES Healthcare UK
  96. New Victoria Hospital
  97. Newmedica
  98. NHS Arden and GEM Commissioning Support Unit
  99. NHS Counter Fraud Authority
  100. NHS Employers
  101. NHS Professionals
  102. NHS Property Services
  103. NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit
  104. Nimbuscare
  105. North of England Commissioning Support Unit
  106. Northenden Group Practice
  107. Nottingham CityCare Partnership CIC
  108. Nuffield Health
  109. One Medical group
  110. OneMedical Property
  111. Operose Health
  112. OSD Healthcare
  113. Parkview Medical Centre
  114. Pathfinder Group
  115. PHL Group Ltd
  116. Phoenix Hospital Group
  117. Practice Plus Group
  118. Primary Eyecare Services Limited
  119. Ramsay Health Care UK
  120. Richard House Children’s Hospice
  121. Royal College of Anaesthetists
  122. Royal College of Emergency Medicine
  123. Royal College of General Practitioners
  124. Royal College of Nursing
  125. Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
  126. Royal College of Ophthalmologists
  127. Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
  128. Royal College of Physicians
  129. Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
  130. Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
  131. Royal College of Podiatry
  132. Royal College of Psychiatrists
  133. Royal College of Radiologists
  134. Royal College of Surgeons of England
  135. Royal Pharmaceutical Society
  136. Shoen Clinic
  137. Sirona care and health
  138. Sodexo Health and Care
  139. Southampton Medical School
  140. Spectrum Community Health CiC
  141. Spencer Private Hospitals Limited
  142. Spencer Street Surgery
  143. Spire Healthcare Limited
  144. Springhill Hospice
  145. St John and St Elizabeth Hospital
  146. St Oswald’s Hospice
  147. St Thomas Medical Group
  148. Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse (STADA)
  149. Stonehill Medical Centre
  150. Sulis Hospital Bath
  151. Survivors In Transition
  152. SurvivorsUK
  153. The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges
  154. The Faculty of Public Health
  155. The Local Primary Care Federation
  156. The London Clinic
  157. The New Foscote Hospital
  158. The Private Clinic
  159. The Royal College of Emergency Medicine
  160. The Royal College of Pathologists
  161. The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
  162. The Society of Radiographers
  163. The Springs Medical Practice
  164. The Survivors Trust
  165. The University of Manchester (Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health)
  166. The University of Sheffield (Faculty of Health)
  167. Totally Group PLC
  168. Tower Hamlets GP Care Group Community Interest Company
  169. Transform Healthcare
  170. UNISON Health Group
  171. University of Glasgow
  172. University of Suffolk Dental CIC
  173. Vanguard Healthcare Solutions Ltd
  174. Vascular Society of Great Britain and Ireland
  175. Viaduct Care CIC
  176. Vida Sheffield
  177. Vita Health Group
  178. Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick
  179. We Are Survivors
  180. We Stand
  181. Welbeck Health Partners and Welbeck Group
  182. West Kent Primary Care
  183. Wiltshire Health and Care
  184. Wolstanton Medical Centre
  185. Working Party on Sexual Misconduct in Surgery
  186. Your Medical Services