This week we discuss the headline that a former porter from Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital has been accused of 84 sex offences between 1985 and 2018, including rape, attempted rape, and sexual assault of a child under 13.

A link to the article can be found here.

This is not the first-time concerns have been raised regarding safeguarding in public areas of hospitals, volunteers or in regard to moving patients around the hospital. Following the shocking disclosure of abuse by Jimmy Savile at Leeds Teaching Hospital amongst many other hospitals, an investigation report published by the Trust in 2015 made 31 recommendations to prevent similar incidents happening again. The full report can be found here.

Sadly, the new allegations of abuse are not the first for Great Ormond Street, who also hit the headlines previously for child sexual abuse involving Jimmy Savile who was accused of abusing a dying child in the 70’s at the hospital. In 2012, Great Ormond Street also commissioned an investigation in regard to this. Therefore, despite their investigation and further recommendations in the report by Leeds Teaching Hospital, the Great Ormond Street porter continued to abuse children until 2018.

To many, Great Ormond Street Hospital is well known for the fabulous work and care for very sick children. This further headline will shock  due to the period an employee went undetected and begs the question how could children be put at risk in this way?

This recent headline sadly follows further concerns regarding Great Ormond Street after government minister Steven Barclay called on the health secretary to commission an independent investigation into an alleged cover-up of a child’s death in 2011. Great Ormond Street has admitted that crucial medical evidence about the child’s condition when she arrived at the hospital’s intensive care unit was not provided to a coroner’s inquest Minister demands investigation into Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital ‘cover up’ | The Independent.

In any medical situation whether it be that of a child or an adult, we expect those who are looking after us when we are our most vulnerable to be appropriately vetted and trained. We put our lives in the hands of medical staff. Safeguarding is paramount as there is a clear position of trust we rely upon.

Heath care professionals include but are not limited to, doctors, nurses, healthcare assistance, carers, support staff and therapists.

Physical and emotional abuse may be easier to identify, whereby sexual abuse can at times be more difficult.  The guidance states “A breach of sexual boundaries occurs when a healthcare professional displays sexualised behaviour towards you. Sexualised behaviour is defined as acts, words or behaviour designed or intended to arouse or gratify sexual impulses or desires.” Breaches of sexual boundaries do not just include criminal acts such as rape or sexual assault, but cover a range of behaviours including the use of sexual humour or innuendo, and making inappropriate comments about your body. It can include comments made in your presence, even if not about you. clear-sexual-boundaries-information-for-patients-and-carers.pdf (professionalstandards.org.uk)

A google media search for the last year alone brings up numerous concerning entries for abuse in the health sector and these are only the reported cases we know of.

In February 2020, GP Manish Shah was convicted of committing 90 assaults against 24 female patients whom he persuaded to undergo unnecessary intimate examinations for his own gratification. He did not always wear gloves to carry out examinations and in one case he left a woman entirely naked on an examination table. His victims were aged between 15 to 39. Shah, is to serve a minimum of 15 years prison sentence. This followed a previous hearing in 2018 for similar offences. GP who sexually assaulted 24 patients jailed for life | Crime | The Guardian.

Cambridge paramedic Andrew Wheeler was found gui