CBS Response to the NHS Anonymous Reporting System for Sexual Harassment

19 November 2024

Search for ‘sexual harassment in the NHS’ and Google throws up a shocking number of results. As recently as August this year, Oxford transplant surgeon James Gilbert was suspended for sexually harassing four women, inappropriately touching three of them. Other cases include that of spinal surgeon, John Bradley Williamson, who is also being investigated for multiple accounts of negligence, including that which led to the death of 17-year-old Catherine O’Connor. Williamson was sacked for gross misconduct relating to inappropriate behaviour in January 2015, but it was only in 2021 that concerns about patient safety and bullying of staff came under investigation.

The 2023/24 NHS staff survey for England showed that 58,000 (one in eight) NHS workers had reported experiencing unwanted sexual behaviour. For one in 26 workers, this behaviour was at the hands of a close colleague. This is sobering reading, and it is without doubt that the entire surgical landscape needs to change. In September 2023, the NHS responded by launching its Sexual Safety Charter. This charter provides a framework within which sexual misconduct and harassment can be addressed through its ten core actionable principles. These principles centre around zero-tolerance, and include transparency, ensuring supportive environments, and taking action against perpetrators. However, in the case of James Gilbert, it appears that this system failed.

In response to growing awareness of harassment issues, including cases like Gilbert’s, NHS England has recently built on the charter, adding a facility for the anonymous reporting of sexual harassment. This new system will provide support, implement specialist investigation teams, and streamline the entire process to improve how disclosures of misconduct are dealt with. With complex power dynamics at play in the workforce, and an embedded fear of retaliation, it remains to be seen if this is enough.

CBS offers additional support in the form of the Surgical Advisory Service (SAS). This service provides surgeons, anaesthetists, and the entire surgical team a safe and confidential space in which they can access support and advice around workplace issues, such as sexual harassment. Combined with an anonymous reporting system that promises to protect those who come forward, the SAS addresses a fundamental gap that could otherwise leave someone vulnerable and without the support they need at challenging times. This service aligns with the broader efforts of NHS England, adding ‘belt and braces’ to ensure wellbeing.

CBS president, Mark Henley, says:
“At CBS, we fully support every initiative that has the potential to make the working environment a safer and more supportive place. In addition to this, we also offer our members access to the Surgical Advisory Service, a space in which people can talk to someone in complete confidence and without repercussions. We’re here to ensure that no one facing these challenges goes without the support they deserve."

In the first instance, the Surgical Advisory Service is open to all; for ongoing support, a CBS membership is required. CBS is committed to the psychological wellbeing of its members, and offers counselling and support as well as an Employee/Member Assistance Programme and wellbeing portal. Please contact us for more information.

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