Sexual Safety Charter

Northgate Village Surgery is committed to providing a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for all patients and staff.

No one should experience sexism, sexual abuse or sexual assault at work.

Sexual misconduct in any form is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated in the NHS. We are committed to ensuring workplaces are safe for staff and patients and are free from sexual misconduct. We’re already taking steps to accomplish this goal.

Northgate Village Surgery is a proud signatory of the first-ever sexual safety charter and is working in collaboration with healthcare systems and people with lived experience to provide
staff with clear reporting mechanisms, training and support. We are implementing the sexual safety charter by actively reviewing and updating support and guidance to assist colleagues who have experienced or witnessed sexual misconduct in the workplace.The new Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 creates a duty on employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of their employees in the workplace. Implementing the sexual safety charter is one of the ways is embedding the NHS People Promise ensuring that our people are safe and feel safe.

The NHS England Sexual Safety Charter reinforces our zero-tolerance approach to any form of sexual harassment, inappropriate behaviour, or misconduct. If you experience or witness any behaviour in our surgery that makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, we strongly encourage you to report it to us.

Concerns can be raised through our usual complaints process, and all reports will be treated seriously, handled sensitively, and investigated promptly in line with our safeguarding responsibilities.