NEW research has revealed that Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust recorded dozens of sexual offences over the last three financial years – with more than half of victims being patients.
It follows national evidence showing that sexual misconduct in medicine is widespread, under-reported, and inconsistently sanctioned, particularly where strong power imbalances exist between staff and patients.
In response, Warrington & Halton Teaching Hospitals say it signed for the NHS England Sexual Safety Charter last year and introduced a new ‘Understanding sexual misconduct in the workplace’ training course, which all staff are required to complete.
Figures uncovered through a freedom of information request by Sexual Abuse Compensation Advice reveal that the healthcare service logged 39 sexual offences between 2022/23 and 2024/25.
Of those, 21 were reported by patients – with 11 coming in the last financial year alone. In fact, 19 of the 39 sexual offences took place in 2024/25.
One member of the public reported being sexually assaulted on the trust’s grounds, while seven employees also were.
There was an increase in sexual offences of 111% from the previous financial year, when five staffers, three patients and one member of the public alleged they were subject to abuse.
The trust also confirmed that seven formal or informal disciplinary actions were taken against staff in relation to sexual offences during the same period.
In 2022/23, one formal action was recorded. In 2023/24, one formal and one informal action were recorded. While in the last financial year, one formal and two informal actions were recorded.
Similar concerns have been identified elsewhere in the service, as Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust recorded 77 sexual assaults between 2022/23 and 2024/25 – including the rape of a patient while under the trust’s care.
A third of those incidents involved patients, while 49 staff members and two members of the public also reported being sexually assaulted.
In the North East, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust recorded 99 sexual offences over the same period, with eight victims identified as patients. Four staff members were disciplined by the trust.
A recent analysis of Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) decisions found that nearly a quarter of all tribunal cases heard in a single year involved sexual misconduct – with over half of those cases involving sexual assault allegations.
Among cases where misconduct was proven, 65% resulted in doctors being erased from the medical register, while 35% led only to suspension, even in serious cases
In 24% of cases, tribunals imposed less severe sanctions than those recommended by the General Medical Council, raising concerns about leniency and inconsistency.
Disturbingly, one in four (26%) of cases involved offences against children. The study also found that all doctors sanctioned for sexual misconduct were male, with 83% holding senior positions of authority, such as consultants or GPs.
General practice and surgery were the most commonly represented specialities. Researchers highlighted that seniority often enables abuse, as perpetrators may control patients’ care or staff members’ training, career progression, or employment conditions.
Surveys across the medical profession show that more than half of those experiencing sexual harassment or assault do not report it – often due to fear of retaliation, belief that reporting will not lead to action, or concern about career consequences.
In tribunal proceedings, victim-survivors are typically required to give evidence without guaranteed access to legal advice or specialist advocacy – a process experts warn can be re-traumatising.
Experts have called for mandatory trauma-informed training, clearer reporting pathways, stronger protections for whistleblowers, and more consistent sanctions to ensure that sexual offences within healthcare settings are treated with the seriousness they warrant.
“What these disclosures show is a pattern that can no longer be dismissed as isolated wrongdoing,” said CICA (Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority) specialist Ellie Lamey, of Sexual Abuse Compensation Advice.
“Healthcare environments place enormous trust in professionals, and when that trust is abused the impact on victims can be profound and long-lasting.
“We regularly hear from people who stayed silent for months or years because they believed speaking up would achieve nothing or would place them at personal or professional risk. That silence should not be mistaken for absence of harm – it reflects fear, imbalance of power and a system that too often prioritises reputation over protection.”
She added: “There must be robust, survivor-centred reporting processes, independent oversight and consequences that genuinely reflect the seriousness of these behaviours. Without that, confidence in healthcare institutions will continue to be eroded, and those affected will remain without the justice and support they deserve.”
Sexual Abuse Compensation Advice offers expert legal support and advice to those affected by sexual abuse. You can book a free consultation or call their 24-hour helpline by visiting their website.
NHS England was asked for comment, but it did not reply by deadline.
Ali Kennah, chief nurse at Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals said: “We take any allegations or reports of sexual misconduct extremely seriously and are committed to a zero tolerance approach to any form of unwanted or inappropriate sexual behaviour towards patients, visitors or staff.
“Last year we signed up to the NHS England Sexual Safety Charter and introduced a new ‘Understanding sexual misconduct in the workplace’ training course which all staff are required to complete.
“This aims to raise greater awareness of the range of behaviours and actions that constitute sexual misconduct and encourages speaking up in confidence about experiencing or witnessing unwanted behaviour of a sexual nature.
“By creating an environment where patients and staff feel safe to report concerns, we are able to ensure they are investigated promptly and appropriate action is taken to protect individuals, support those affected and work with the police where necessary.”
