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:
- We will actively work to eradicate sexual harassment and abuse in the workplace.
- We will promote a culture that fosters openness and transparency, and does not tolerate unwanted, harmful and/or inappropriate sexual behaviours.
- 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.
- We will provide appropriate support for those in our workforce who experience unwanted, inappropriate and/or harmful sexual behaviours.
- We will clearly communicate standards of behaviour. This includes expected action for those who witness inappropriate, unwanted and/or harmful sexual behaviour.
- We will ensure appropriate, specific, and clear policies are in place. They will include appropriate and timely action against alleged perpetrators.
- We will ensure appropriate, specific, and clear training is in place.
- We will ensure appropriate reporting mechanisms are in place for those experiencing these behaviours.
- We will take all reports seriously and appropriate and timely action will be taken in all cases.
- We will capture and share data on prevalence and staff experience transparently.
These commitments will apply to everyone in our organisation equally.
Where any of the above is not currently in place, we commit to work towards ensuring it is in place by July 2024.
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
Organisations that have signed the charter
1. Association of Ambulance Chief Executives
2. Association of Anaesthetists
3. Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
4. British and Irish Orthoptic Society
5. British Dietetic Association
6. Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust
7. Cornwall Foundation Trust
8. County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
9. Cumbria, Northumberland and Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
10. East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust
11. Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine – Member of Academy of Medical Royal Colleges
12. First Community Health and Care
13. Gateshead NHS Foundation Trust
14. Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
15. Health Services Safety Investigations Body
16. Independent Providers Healthcare Network
17. Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust
18. Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
19. Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust
20. Medway Community Healthcare
21. Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust
22. Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
23. NHS Employers
24. NHS England
25. North Bristol NHS Trust
26. North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust
27. North East Ambulance Service
28. North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board
29. North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust
30. Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust
31. Northumbria NHS Foundation Trust
32. Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board
33. Royal College of Anaesthetists
34. Royal College of General Practitioners
35. Royal College of Nursing
36. Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
37. Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
38. Royal College of Physicians
39. Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
40. Royal College of Psychiatrists
41. Royal College of Surgeons of England
42. Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust
43. Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust
44. South Central Ambulance Service
45. South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
46. South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
47. Tees Esk and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
48. The Faculty of Public Health
49. The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
50. The University of Manchester (Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health)
51. The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust
52. University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust
53. University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
54. Vascular Society of Great Britain and Ireland
55. West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Foundation Trust
56. York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust