Fig 1 Sexual safety incidents in the NHS Yet experts say that these figures vastly underestimate the problem because systems for recording are so poor across the NHS. Each trust has a different practice around whether they report cases before or after an investigation or disciplinary action, she says. Only 149 of the 212 NHS trusts that provided data on sexual safety incidents also provided data on the level of disciplinary action against staff. Only 16 of the 47 mental healthcare providers that responded to our FOI requests have dedicated policies, despite government commissioned sexual safety standards requiring this. “Employers must ensure that victims are supported and feel empowered to report sexual harm and resolve to take appropriate action,” adds Patel.

Source: The Guardian May 23, 2023 14:00 UTC