Parliamentary Petition: Inquiry into sexual violence in NHS hospitals

[POWNewcastleEastWallsend]

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/736504

Wording of Petition:

Inquiry into sexual violence in NHS hospitals
I want the Government to have an inquiry into sexual violence being reported in NHS hospitals, to come up with a plan to reduce incidents.

I want the Government to do this because it appears to be a problem across the nation. I think the users of the NHS need to be aware and take necessary precautions to stay safe and it is not getting the investigations and media coverage it deserves.

Currently 9,611 signatures

At 10,000 signatures...
At 10,000 signatures, government will respond to this petition

At 100,000 signatures...
At 100,000 signatures, this petition will be considered for debate in Parliament

Please sign and share this important Petition!

Sparked by Alexis’ testimony in Patient 11, Sky News and The Independent worked together for nearly 18 months investigating sexual abuse allegations in NHS England mental health trusts.

The findings of this work have been described as a ‘national scandal’ by former Victim’s Commissioner Dame Vera Baird. The investigation has prompted calls for a major inquiry by Charlie Brooker, one of the authors of the 2019 gold standard government-backed sexual safeguarding protections, The Sexual Safety Collaborative.

Key findings revealed in Patient 11 and the surrounding investigation:

• 19,889 sexual assault and harassment complaints recorded by more than 30 (out of more than 50) NHS England trusts from 2019 to November 2023. (Complaints made by both patients and staff)

• Fewer than a thousand incidents were reported to police in the same period.

• Just 14 NHS England trusts have told Sky News and The Independent that they have audited-in the 2019 government backed sexual safeguarding protections (The Sexual Safety Collaborative) - a set of protections brought about due to concerns over the then rising number of sexual abuse complaints in NHS England and NHS England supported mental health settings.

• Only six NHS England trusts provided evidence that they had completed audits of how they adhere to government-backed sexual safety standards.

• More than 800 sexual assault or rape allegations from 2019 to November 2023 across 21 NHS England Trusts - with just 95 of those allegations being reported to the police.

• 552 sexual assault allegations made on mixed sex wards/shared spaces across 21 NHS England Trusts.

Full article:
https://www.skygroup.sky/article/sky-news-and-the-independent-launch-new-podcast-series-patient-11-a-story-of-sexual-abuse-in-nhs-mental-health-trusts-

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