Call for inquiry after survey finds female surgeons assaulted

AN independent inquiry should be held to examine reports of sexual misconduct in the NHS, the Lib Dems have said, following a survey which found almost one in three female surgeons have been sexually assaulted in the last five years.

The survey by the British Journal of Surgery also found 29% of women who responded had experienced unwanted physical advances at work, and 11 instances of rape were reported by surgeons who took part in the study.

Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Daisy Cooper told the PA news agency that the results are the latest in a series of revelations of sexual misconduct in the NHS in recent years, and she is calling for a public inquiry.

Ms Cooper told PA: “We have had a number of revelations, there has been a sort of drip-drip effect over several months and years now about allegations of sexual misconduct that are very widespread on NHS premises.

“There have been lots of examples of where this happens from one colleague to another colleague between NHS staff, but also examples where it’s been perpetrated by a member of staff against patients.