Embedding a culture of zero tolerance for sexual harassment
Background
The “Breaking the Silence” report, published in September 2023 in the British Journal of Surgery, revealed widespread unreported sexual harassment in surgical departments across the UK. In response, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) acted quickly, forming a Short-Life Working Group to tackle this issue head-on.
Cut it Out
The group developed the Cut It Out programme, a suite of resources and support aimed at:
- Creating a culture of zero tolerance for sexual harassment.
- Ensuring a consistent approach to managing incidents.
- Building trust and confidence so staff feel safe to speak up.
This initiative is part of a broader commitment to equality and inclusion, including working towards Equally Safe at Work Accreditation.
Challenges
- Building trust: Staff needed reassurance that raising concerns would lead to appropriate action.
- Engaging medical managers and surgical teams: High service pressures made it difficult to secure time with these key groups.
- Impact
- For staff: Increased confidence to report harassment, measured through surveys and reporting trends.
- For patients: A safer, more communicative environment that supports patient safety.
- For the organisation: Demonstrates leadership in creating an inclusive culture, aligning with national best practice.
Impact
- For staff: Increased confidence to report harassment, measured through surveys and reporting trends.
- For patients: A safer, more communicative environment that supports patient safety.
- For the organisation: Demonstrates leadership in creating an inclusive culture, aligning with national best practice.
Lessons Learned
Board-level commitment was critical. Visible leadership from the Chair and senior leaders galvanized support across NHSGGC’s 41,000 staff.
Alignment with the Leadership Success Profile
“Creating an inclusive, compassionate and stimulating environment that
enables teams to flourish and individuals to display their potential.”
This initiative strongly aligns with the “Shaping Cultures” cluster of the Leadership Success Profile, particularly within the dimension “Fostering Inclusion and Psychological Safety”.
The Cut it Out programme aimed to ensure that all staff feel safe, respected and supported.
The Scottish Government has published Improving Wellbeing and Working Cultures (IWWC), which sets out a vision to support and enhance local cultures across our health, social care and social work organisations through programmes of work at a national level that focus on the three pillars of wellbeing, leadership and equality. You can find out more about IWWC by reading this blog by Dr Elizabeth Kelly.
