Thousands of hospital staff report claims of sexual abuse by patients

Exclusive Medics face 'daily threat' of physical and verbal assault at work

- Anna Bawden, David Batty

Thousands of hospital staff are reporting claims of sexual assaults and harassment by patients, an investigation has found, prompting calls for ministers to address the "daily threat of abuse" faced by doctors and nurses.

More than 20,000 alleged incidents of sexual violence and sexual misconduct by patients on hospital staff were recorded in the five years to 2022 by 212 NHS trusts in England, freedom of information (Fol) requests by the Guardian and the British Medical Journal (BMJ) found.

The 20,928 cases accounted for just under 60% of the total alleged incidents trusts disclosed.

Allegations included rape, sexual assault, harassment, stalking and sexualised remarks. Experts cautioned that the figures were likely to be a serious underestimate because staff were often deterred from making complaints when patients abuse them.

Deeba Syed, a senior legal officer at the Rights of Women helpline, said: "Women tell us they are expected to continue to care for patients who are abusive or harassing without efforts to adequately safeguard them from further harassment.

"We hear worrying reports of women feeling pressured into not raising formal grievances and instead being transferred to different departments or locations.

"They tell us it is argued that this is more expedient than moving the harassing patient, despite victims feeling this is unsafe to others and a punishment on them."

Katie, not her real name, a junior doctor in the south-east of England, said patients had made sexual comments about her since she was a student.