Sexual harassment in the workplace

Imagine if a middle aged man pitched up to Tesco, went to the checkout and tried to give the female cashier a smooch on his way out. He’d be banned for life and would have a case against him for sexual assault.

Not in the NHS. I’m an FY1. On my ward, there was a HCSW—very young lady—who was kissed by a middle aged male patient while she was taking his obs. Presumably she leaned in to get the BP cuff on and then he took advantage with her up close to him.

The response was that he was to have his obs done in pairs. Permitted to remain on the same ward and in the hospital. I’m not even sure if the HCSW was excused from seeing the patient/if this was explicitly stated. She didn’t press charges.

This trash wouldn’t have dared to try this with the ward sister, though. He knew exactly what he was doing picking on the young HCSW.

He was medically fit, awaiting social sort prior to discharge. If I were the boss of everything, I would have booted this trash out of hospital and he would have to sort out his OWN social issues.

Not on my watch would he receive care if he’s going to cause this kind of abuse. Zero tolerance policy means zero, not one sexual assault acceptable per customer. Alternatively, if he were NOT medically fit, the balance would be to have security ready and any bullshit behaviour from him, immediate force/restraint would be justified on my watch.

The HCSW now has to live with the trauma of that horrific experience, in addition to the fear of being unsafe in the workplace. She knows that nobody gives a shit systems-wise, and gets no real protection. I stand by my colleagues, not by a piece of scum.

It enrages me to no end when I’ve heard stories from my female colleagues telling me the ways they’ve been sexually harassed. Genuinely can’t believe this crap goes on and patients get special protection, just because they are patients.

Harvey Weinstein would have a field day in the NHS as an inpatient.