Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust recorded dozens of sexual offences over the last three financial years, with more than half of victims being patients.
Figures uncovered through a Freedom of Information Act request by Sexual Abuse Compensation Advice reveal that the trust logged 39 sexual offences between 2022/23 and 2024/25.
Of those, 21 were reported by patients, with 11 coming in the last financial year alone, and 19 of the 39 sexual offences took place in 2024/25.
One member of the public reported being sexually assaulted on the trust’s grounds, while seven employees also were.
There was an increase in sexual offences from the previous financial year, when five staff members, three patients, and one member of the public alleged they were subject to abuse.
The trust also confirmed that seven formal or informal disciplinary actions were taken against staff in relation to sexual offences during the same period.
In 2022/23, one formal action was recorded, compared to one formal and one informal in 2023/24, and one formal and two informal in the last financial year.
Ali Kennah, chief nurse at Warrington and Halton hospitals, said: “We take any allegations or reports of sexual misconduct extremely seriously.
“We are committed to a zero-tolerance approach to any form of unwanted or inappropriate sexual behaviour towards patients, visitors or staff.
“Last year, we signed up to NHS England’s sexual safety charter and introduced a new ‘understanding sexual misconduct in the workplace’ training course, which all staff are required to complete.
“This aims to raise greater awareness of the range of behaviours and actions that constitute sexual misconduct and encourages speaking up in confidence about experiencing or witnessing unwanted behaviour of a sexual nature.
“By creating an environment where patients and staff feel safe to report concerns, we are able to ensure that they are investigated promptly, and that appropriate action is taken to protect individuals, support those affected, and work with the police where necessary.”
National evidence shows that sexual misconduct in medicine is widespread, under-reported, and inconsistently sanctioned, particularly where strong power imbalances exist between staff and patients.
A recent analysis of Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service decisions found that nearly a quarter of all tribunal cases heard in a single year involved sexual misconduct, with more than half of those cases involving sexual assault allegations.
Among cases where misconduct was proven, 65 per cent resulted in doctors being erased from the medical register, while 35 per cent led only to suspension, even in serious cases
In 24 per cent of cases, tribunals imposed less severe sanctions than those recommended by the General Medical Council, raising concerns about leniency and inconsistency.
Surveys across the medical profession show that more than half of those experiencing sexual harassment or assault do not report it, often due to fear of retaliation, belief that reporting will not lead to action, or concern about career consequences.
Ellie Lamey, a specialist at Sexual Abuse Compensation Advice, said: “What these disclosures show is a pattern that can no longer be dismissed as isolated wrongdoing.
“Healthcare environments place enormous trust in professionals, and when that trust is abused, the impact on victims can be profound and long-lasting.
“We regularly hear from people who stayed silent for months or years because they believed speaking up would achieve nothing or would place them at personal or professional risk.
“That silence should not be mistaken for absence of harm, as it reflects fear, imbalance of power and a system that too often prioritises reputation over protection.”
She added: “There must be robust, survivor-centred reporting processes, independent oversight and consequences that genuinely reflect the seriousness of these behaviours.
“Without that, confidence in healthcare institutions will continue to be eroded, and those affected will remain without the justice and support they deserve.”