A major initiative designed to protect NHS staff in England from sexual harassment has failed to make workplaces safer, according to leading healthcare unions and legal experts.
Charter Fails to Curb Rising Harassment
The NHS sexual safety charter, launched with a promise of a zero-tolerance approach in September 2023, was intended to transform how hospitals and GP surgeries address unwanted sexual behaviour. However, evidence suggests the problem is becoming more severe, not less.
The charity Rights of Women, which runs a dedicated advice line, reports a sharp increase in calls from NHS staff since the charter was introduced. Laura Bolam, the charity's employment law officer, revealed that the proportion of their callers who are NHS workers has doubled.
"In 2023, around 11% of our calls came from women working in the NHS; this rose to 19% in 2024 and increased again to 22% in 2025," Bolam stated. "This highlights that sexual harassment within NHS trusts is not only rising but appears to be an entrenched, systemic issue."
Widespread Under-Reporting Exposed
Despite every NHS organisation in England signing the charter, a Guardian investigation based on Freedom of Information requests has uncovered a stark discrepancy in official figures. Data from 212 NHS trusts showed just over 1,200 recorded incidents of staff-on-staff sexual harm between 2022-23 and 2024-25.
Alarmingly, more than two-thirds of acute trusts reported fewer than three such incidents over three years, with 24 recording none at all. This contrasts violently with the experiences shared in the annual NHS staff survey, where 3.7% of workers reported being targeted by unwanted sexual behaviour from colleagues.
Given the NHS in England employs 1.5 million people, that survey data would equate to approximately 54,900 alleged victims in 2024 alone.
"We continue to hear from women whose workplaces have not upheld its commitments," said Bolam. "Many have told us that their managers were unaware of the charter’s existence, let alone implementing its provisions."
Calls for Enforceable National Standards
Healthcare unions are now demanding concrete action and accountability. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) found in a recent survey that implementation of the NHS sexual safety charter is patchy, leaving staff without clear protection.
Professor Nicola Ranger, RCN General Secretary, said: "It has become increasingly clear that elements of the charter, including around promoting a culture of openness and transparency, are not being adhered to or enforced effectively." She called for a simplified, national standardised reporting method for sexual assaults.
Dr Emma Runswick, Deputy Chair of the British Medical Association (BMA) council, echoed these concerns. She stated the charter's "zero tolerance" pledge is meaningless without visible enforcement and questioned how NHS England holds trusts to account. "The discrepancy between recorded incidents and staff-reported experiences shows a deep lack of trust in current reporting processes," she added.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson responded: "Sexual harassment is unacceptable in all forms... All trusts must now offer anonymous reporting routes to make it easier – with three-quarters of trusts already putting this in place." They reiterated that the newly launched charter aims to ensure staff feel supported to report incidents.
However, with legal duties to prevent harassment under the Worker Protection Act and forthcoming stronger obligations, unions insist that signing a charter is not enough. They are calling for consistent, transparent and enforceable action to finally make NHS workplaces safe for all.
