London, January 18, 2026 — A national effort to curb sexual harassment within England’s National Health Service appears to be backfiring, with reports of incidents increasing since the launch of a key safety charter last September. That’s the unsettling takeaway from legal experts and healthcare unions who say the initiative isn’t protecting staff.
Charter’s Promise Unfulfilled as Reports Surge
Table of Contents
The NHS sexual safety charter aimed to improve how hospitals, GP surgeries, and other organizations address unwanted sexual behavior, but early data suggests it’s falling short of its goals.
- Calls to a sexual harassment advice line for NHS staff have risen sharply since the charter’s rollout.
- Many NHS trusts are reporting improbably low numbers of sexual harassment incidents.
- Staff surveys indicate a significant number of workers have experienced unwanted sexual behavior.
- Concerns are growing that the charter lacks effective enforcement mechanisms.
Q: Is the NHS sexual safety charter working? A: No, data indicates the charter has not improved the safety of female staff, and reports of sexual harassment within NHS trusts are actually rising, suggesting a systemic issue.
Rising Reports, Questionable Data
The UK-based charity Rights of Women has seen a significant jump in calls to its sexual harassment at work advice line from NHS staff. Laura Bolam, the charity’s employment law officer, noted that the proportion of callers who work within the NHS doubled between 2023 and 2025. “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 explained. The charity provides free legal advice to approximately 3,000 working women annually across England and Wales.
Despite all NHS organizations in England signing the charter, committing to a zero-tolerance approach to unwanted sexual behavior, an investigation revealed many trusts continue to report surprisingly low incident numbers. Freedom of Information requests sent to 212 NHS trusts in England showed just over 1,200 incidents of staff-on-staff sexual harm between 2022-23 and 2024-25. A staggering 93 acute trusts reported fewer than three incidents over those three years, with 24 reporting none at all.
Discrepancy Between Reported Incidents and Staff Experiences
However, the latest annual NHS staff survey paints a different picture. 3.7% of workers reported experiencing unwanted sexual behavior from colleagues in 2024. Considering the NHS in England employs 1.5 million people, this translates to an estimated 54,900 alleged victims in a single year. This stark contrast between official reporting and staff experiences raises serious concerns about underreporting and a lack of trust in current processes.
Bolam emphasized the lack of tangible improvement. “We continue to hear from women whose workplaces have not upheld its commitments,” she said. “Many have told us that their managers were unaware of the charter’s existence, let alone implementing its provisions.” She added that the charity frequently receives reports of rape, physical assault, and ongoing verbal and sexual harassment, with nurses and healthcare assistants disproportionately affected.
The charter mandates improved recording of sexual harm against staff, a response to previous criticism that hospitals were significantly underreporting incidents. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) recently surveyed its members and found that implementation of the charter is “uneven,” with staff often lacking adequate protection or clarity, particularly when misconduct involves patients.
Prof. Nicola Ranger, the RCN general secretary, stated, “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. The secretary of state and NHS leadership need to introduce a simplified national standardised method for reporting sexual assaults.”
Dr. Emma Runswick, the BMA deputy council chair, argued that the charter’s “zero tolerance” commitment is meaningless without demonstrable action and clarity on how NHS England holds trusts accountable for protecting their workforce. “The discrepancy between recorded incidents and staff-reported experiences shows a deep lack of trust in current reporting processes,” she added.
All NHS trusts are legally obligated to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment under the Worker Protection Act, with even stronger duties coming into force under the Employment Rights Act. “Fulfilling these obligations requires more than signing a charter – it demands consistent, transparent and enforceable action,” Runswick concluded.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson stated that, in addition to existing efforts, new staff standards covering sexual safety in the workplace, as well as tackling racism and reducing violence, will be introduced this year.
Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organizations. In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, or 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html
