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OUH working to tackle sexual harassment in the workplace

17/03/2025
Chief Officers at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH) have today publicised their plans to address sexual harassment.

The Trust has launched a campaign to educate staff on what constitutes sexual harassment, with this first phase having a particular emphasis on 'banter' and other behaviours that are often misconstrued as innocuous, but can ultimately have a negative impact.

Terry Roberts, Chief People Officer at OUH, said: "Often dismissed as harmless, banter can be at the expense of somebody else’s comfort or wellbeing. If banter amounts to inappropriate personal remarks about someone’s body, private life, or sexuality, and the tone is not reciprocated, then it is not 'just banter'– it is sexual harassment.

"Identifying sexual misconduct can be difficult. What is a harmless joke to one person could be extremely uncomfortable for another, even if that wasn't someone's intention at all. Education is a very important part of addressing this, and we are committed to working with our staff to further education around sexual harassment, as well as working with key stakeholders both within and outside OUH to develop our approaches and see how we can improve."

Training on identifying sexual misconduct is the workplace is now available for all OUH staff, as well as a toolkit for recognising and reporting sexual misconduct, taking action when misconduct is reported, and support available to everyone involved.

Professor Meghana Pandit, Chief Executive Officer at OUH, said: "Addressing an issue like sexual harassment is incredibly important. Ultimately, everyone in our organisation has the right to work in a safe, respectful culture, free of abuse, harassment, bullying, or other inappropriate behaviour.

"As a Trust, we have signed the national Sexual Safety in Healthcare Charter and are committed to working with our staff to address any unwanted, inappropriate, and harmful sexual behaviours in the workplace."
 

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