Preventing sexual harassment, misogyny, and sexual misconduct in the workplace

• Use the NHS England framework and policy to develop a clear process and policy around managing sexual harassment and misconduct in the workplace. 
• Take an intersectional approach to the sexual safety of your workforce, recognising that certain groups experience sexual harassment and abuse at a disproportionate rate.
• Ensure your policy applies to both staff and patients, creating an environment that is truly safe from sexual harassment, misconduct, and misogyny. 

• Complete the NHS England e-learning module on understanding sexual misconduct in the workplace.
•  Ensure that includes Active Bystander training, covering how to report inappropriate behaviour both as a witness and for those directly experiencing unwanted, inappropriate and/or harmful sexual behaviours.
• Sign up to the series of masterclasses from NHS England. The first session will prepare, inform and support NHS people professionals to implement the new sexual misconduct policy in their organisation.  
• Ensure board members, senior leaders, HR and people teams, managers, supervisors and colleagues receive training on responding to disclosures and supporting colleagues who have experienced this behaviour.

• Foster a culture where colleagues feel empowered to address sexual harassment, misogyny, and sexual misconduct openly.
• Clearly set and communicate expectations about acceptable behaviour for both staff and patients, ensuring these standards are visibly upheld throughout the organisation. 
• Develop strong staff networks and spotlight their work to create a safe, respectful workplace culture.
• Keep the organisation informed on ongoing investigations  and the consequences of inappropriate behaviour, reinforcing accountability. 

Access our top tips to support the psychological safety of staff. 

• Ensure data accuracy and capture the stories behind the data to avoid missing critical insights.
• Use exit interviews, appraisal, and attrition data, especially if your organisation is experiencing high turnover, to understand underlying issues and improve retention.
• Understand when incidents have transformed into investigations and why different data sets may not match, for example Workforce Disability Equality Standard data and local trust data, to identify and address any inconsistencies.
• Hold reflective sessions to review findings and use the insights to continuously adapt policies and practices, driving genuine and sustained change across the organisation.  

• Publicly communicate the outcomes of investigations to demonstrate accountability.  
• Improve support for survivors, ensuring that employees who discloses sexual harassment, misconduct or misogyny feel safe and supported. 
• Provide an independent, anonymous reporting system where employees can easily report incidents they experience or witness.
• Work closely with trade unions, HR and people colleagues, safeguarding leads and freedom to speak up guardians to ensure reports are managed appropriately. 
• Make effective use of mediation services, wellbeing teams, employee assistance programmes, and occupational health services to support staff effectively.
• Establish a clear, trauma informed framework to handle, ensuring quality investigations and consistent communication with all parties throughout the process.
• Prevent victim blaming by fostering a culture that avoids pressuring victims, investigating reports without re-traumatising them and ensuring that victims do not feel forced out.  
• Keep victims informed throughout the process and make sure they feel consistently supported. 

• Initiate open discussions within your organisation and with colleagues on acceptable and unacceptable behaviours in the workplace.
• Consider ways to improve workplace safety and share ideas with colleagues, managers, and staff networks. 
• Reflect on your own internalised thoughts and prejudices and how this impacts your day-to-day working and those around you.
• Speak up if you witness or experience unacceptable behaviour, or if you feel your organisation is normalising harmful behaviours. 
• Support others in their career progression, fostering a culture where those behind you on the career ladder feel supported and able to challenge and grow. 

This is a free network for women working in the NHS and broader health and social care sector. As a member, you will have the opportunity to:  

• Engage in honest discussions around challenges and successes in your career, where you can share experiences without judgment.
• Connect with like-minded professionals and leaders who can offer support, mentorship, and collaboration.
• Access workshops, masterclasses, and resources designed to enhance your leadership skills and career growth.
• Participate in events that share learning, insights, and practical tools. Feel empowered and be part of a movement that aims to uplift the voices of women and promote equality across health and care.

• Find out about NHS England’s charter on sexual safety at work which asks employers to commit to a zero-tolerance approach to any unwanted, inappropriate, and/or harmful sexual behaviours towards our workforce. 
• Read why the launch of NHS England’s sexual misconduct in the NHS: new framework, training and communications campaign is so important to the NHS.
• Access the national people sexual misconduct policy framework and understanding sexual misconduct in the workplace e-learning to learn how to recognise and respond to sexual misconduct.
• Learn about the Worker Protection Act 2023 and access new Equality and Human Rights Commission guidance on employers’ legal duty to prevent sexual harassment.
• Read guidance from CIPD to help employers prepare to protect employees from sexual harassment. 
• Implement ACAS’ steps to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. 
• Access three publications aimed at reducing misogyny and improving sexual safety in the ambulance service. The resources were published by The Association of Ambulance Chief Executives and the Office of the Chief Allied Health Professions Officer.
• Learn about NHS Project S, a campaign to improve working conditions in the NHS, focusing on discrimination and workplace safety,  particularly for women working in healthcare. 
• Visit Surviving in Scrubs to find out more about their campaign to end sexism, harassment, and sexual assault within healthcare. 
• Read this blog Time to stand up and be counted by Dr Kathy McLean to understand why she believes all NHS boards must sign up to the NHS Sexual Safety Charter.
• Access information and resources from the Social Partnership Forum on Sexual safety in the NHS.
• Find out about the BMA pledge to tackle gender discrimination in medicine. This follows a survey showing that a shocking 91 per cent of women doctor respondents in the UK have experienced sexism at work, with 42 per cent feeling they could not report it.
• Access the Health and Care LGBTQ+ Leaders Network’s infographic exploring the growing LGBTQ+ staff experience gap. It highlights that19 per cent of bisexual NHS staff, and 15 per cent of transgender NHS staff, have experienced unwanted sexual behaviour from patients, relatives, and visitors. It also highlights actions you can take to support LGBTQ+ colleagues working across health and care.