Dr Sarbjit Clare MBE reveals sexual abuse and harassment suffered by NHS staff  

Image by Dr Sarbjit Clare MBE

Deputy Medical Director at Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, Dr Sarbjit Clare MBE has spoken about the struggles of women working in the NHS as they face harassment and sexual abuse from patients, relatives, the public as well as some colleagues.

In a workshop held for the NHS staff in Birmingham called ‘Say Her Name’, Dr Clare gave an empowering speech about unity and calling it out when any such incident occurs. She also added that women not only face harassment and discrimination from patients, relatives and the public but also from colleagues. “The data is pretty depressing really. Around 15% of NHS staff report physical violence from patients, their relatives, or visitors every year – but they also face harassment from colleagues too. Some 60% of nurses say they have been sexually harassed or abused at work in some form,” said Dr Clare.

In appalling figures revealed by Dr Clare, she said that a study in 2019 found that 8% of staff members had faced physical sexual harassment which involved upskirting, groping and rape. 54% of these incidents were reported to have been committed by colleagues.