Patients’ sexual threats against nurses ‘brushed aside’ by NHS

NHS bosses have told nurses sexual harassment is an “occupational hazard” as the Carry On stereotype meant patients felt entitled to make inappropriate comments, a conference heard.

Nurses have told how they received rape threats and sexual innuendos only for NHS managers to laugh off the comments.

Speaking at the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) congress in Liverpool yesterday, Nikki Williams, from northwest London, said a patient threatened to rape her and said he would wait outside when she finished work.

She said: “I can’t remember exactly what my department said when I called them, but it was implied that I should expect that type of comment from people, working in the area that I do.”

While most NHS Trusts have policies on dealing with sexual harassment allegations between staff members, many have no such policy when it comes to patients or their families.

Zeba Arif, a nurse from London, said: “All too often harassment by patients is brushed aside as a misunderstanding.”

She revealed how a former colleague at a mental health trust was told by bosses to “grow up” when she raised concerns about a patient’s sexualised comments.

The patient later followed her to her car and pinned her against the bonnet. She broke free, but the trust had no policy on how to deal with the scenario. “In fact, the response was to almost blame the victim and deny her experience,” she added. “She was actively prevented from going to the police because she was told it would bring the trust into disrepute if she did.”

Danielle Tiplady, a nurse from northeast London, said: “There are countless examples of nurses who were sexually harassed in the workplace and yet were left unsupported, ridiculed, humiliated, ignored, embarrassed and alone.”

An RCN spokesman said: “We will challenge discrimination, harassment and bullying behaviour whether in the workplace or elsewhere. [We] do not tolerate sexual harassment or intimidation in any way.”