Patient Sexual Safety (PSS) review · October 2026
Learning from the past. Assessing progress. Protecting patients.
A guide to past investigations into sexual harm in healthcare, what has changed, and what we still need to understand.
Patient Sexual Safety is an independent research and system-design project. Its work is paused while national organisations continue their efforts to improve safety. PSS cannot receive reports, investigate concerns or offer personal support.
Why this review was undertaken
Past investigations have shown that some patients were sexually harmed or treated in ways that broke professional boundaries. Patients may not know whether something was appropriate, who to tell, or where to get help. They may also have to repeat their account to several organisations.
In 2001, the Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) investigated the case of Peter Green, a general practitioner (GP), or family doctor, in Loughborough. CHI was an independent organisation that checked National Health Service (NHS) care and investigated serious failures. It was replaced by the Healthcare Commission in 2004. The report called for better information for patients, better records of concerns, and organisations working together to protect people.
Since then, healthcare rules and services have changed. These include ways to complain, checks on professionals and safeguarding (action to protect children or adults at risk of abuse). More recently, NHS England and the Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB), which studies serious safety problems across healthcare, have published further work on sexual safety.
Read HSSIB’s 2024 sexual safety review
What remains uncertain
Writing a rule does not mean it is followed. Closing a complaint does not necessarily mean the patient has received an answer or support. Our research could not establish whether all the older recommendations were put into practice, or whether later changes have improved safety specifically for patients harmed sexually by healthcare workers. We also do not know reliably how common this harm is across the country.
Reports of harm today do not prove that every improvement failed. Equally, new rules do not prove that everyone is safe.
Why PSS is pausing
The NHS, government, professional regulators (organisations that set rules for healthcare workers) and other bodies are already working on these issues. To find out how well the whole system works would require a much larger study. PSS does not want to repeat work already being done without showing how it would help patients.
The main question is simple: are these changes making patients safer and giving them better experiences and outcomes?
Can patients understand and safely raise possible sexual-safety concerns?
Are concerns listened to, recorded and passed to the right people when needed?
Do patients get answers and support, while risks are addressed and those responsible are held to account where appropriate?
Explore the evidence
Historical reports
Original investigations, the recommendations they made and preserved source documents.
Browse reportsThen and now
What older reports recommended, what has changed, and what we still do not know.
Read comparisonCurrent initiatives
Current work to improve safety, and questions about how well it works.
Read overviewWho does what?
Who takes complaints, who investigates serious concerns, and who can help.
See responsibilitiesFinding help
Ways to ask questions, complain or seek help from existing organisations.
View external routesInformation checked to 30 October 2026. This website is a research summary, not a complete review of every service. The organisations mentioned have not endorsed it. If you need help now, use the Finding help page.
Research snapshot · 30 October 2026 · Independent project