London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jul 11, 2025

35,000 cases of sexual misconduct or violence in NHS in five years

35,000 cases of sexual misconduct or violence in NHS in five years

More than 35,000 incidents of sexual misconduct or sexual violence - ranging from derogatory remarks to rape - were recorded on NHS premises in England between 2017 and 2022.

Rape, sexual assault or being touched without consent accounted for more than one in five cases.

Most incidents - 58% - involved patients abusing staff.

The data was collected by the British Medical Journal (BMJ) and the Guardian, and shared with BBC File on 4.

Freedom of Information requests were received from 212 NHS trusts in England.

The data that came back from trusts showed at least 20% of incidents involved rape, sexual assault or inappropriate physical contact - including kissing. Other cases included sexual harassment, stalking and abusive or degrading remarks. One in five cases involved patients abusing other patients - although not all trusts provided a detailed breakdown.

One former patient told File on 4 how she had been sexually assaulted by a male patient while she had been showering in a hospital.

"The door flew open and there was a man in the doorway," said Mary (not her real name). "I screamed as I had no clothes on. He ran towards me and shouted 'I'll have some of that'."

When the man grabbed her arm, she explained, she "managed to elbow him and push him away".

"I was trying to run and cover myself with my hands and parts of my body because there's everybody staring."

Mary, now in her early 80s, had been admitted to the hospital after suffering a heart attack in 2020.

Her attacker had been sitting in a chair outside the shower room.

The incident was reported to the police but the force involved said there wasn't enough evidence to proceed with a prosecution.

An NHS spokesperson has told the BBC that all NHS organisations must have robust measures in place to ensure immediate action is taken in any sexual cases reported to them.

But the BMJ and Guardian investigation found that fewer than one in 10 NHS trusts has a dedicated policy to deal with sexual assault and harassment - and that managers are also no longer obliged to report abuse of staff to a central database.

"I'm hearing time and time again, this has happened to so many other people," says Lib Dem MP Daisy Cooper


Mary says she wasn't given any support by the hospital after the attack - and the NHS trust involved has admitted to File on 4 that more should have been done.

The Liberal Democrats' health spokeswoman Daisy Cooper MP is calling for a new sexual complaints system to protect patients, visitors and staff. She says Mary's story is an example of the "absolutely unacceptable" number of sexual attacks happening in NHS hospitals across the UK.

"I'm hearing time and time again, this has happened to so many other people.

"There is not a simple, clearly signposted way for people to make a complaint of a sexual nature and for it to be treated with respect and be treated efficiently."

Consultant Philippa Jackson told File on 4 she had been sexually assaulted by a senior NHS colleague when working as a junior doctor.

"He rubbed himself against my thigh, he then made a comment about his erection," she said.

"Then he kissed me on the bottom of my neck and again I felt very uncomfortable."

Consultant Philippa Jackson: "I was asked a series of questions about whether or not I had led him on"


When Ms Jackson made a formal complaint about the individual, she says she was quizzed by senior managers at the hospital.

"I was asked a series of questions about whether or not I had led him on, essentially, whether or not I was being flirtatious," she says.

No action was taken against the man, and Ms Jackson says she was told the incident hadn't been witnessed and could not be proved - so there was no case to answer.

Although more than 4,000 NHS staff were accused of rape, sexual assault, harassment, stalking, or abusive remarks towards other staff or patients in 2017-22, the BMJ and Guardian investigation found that only 576 have faced disciplinary action.

In a statement, the Department of Health and Social Care said: "The health and social care secretary is working closely with the NHS and recently convened an urgent meeting with NHS leaders to discuss how to root out this vile behaviour and ensure services are always safe for staff and patients."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
×