I'm thinking about reporting....

We are talking again in this film to Dr Becky Cox, GP and co-founder of Surviving in Scrubs about the pathways to reporting incidents in healthcare organisations.

Reporting is a challenging area. It is scary for those who have been through a traumatic experience and are dealing with the aftermath of the event. Affected individuals may be experiencing feelings of guilt, self-blame and shame at what has happened. At the same time, those who are considering reporting will be thinking “I need to look after others”. Often the perpetrator will be a senior person and this adds to the anxiety of making a report. Healthcare can feel a small place where everyone seems to know one another.

Once you are thinking of reporting it may be helpful to talk things through with:

• A supervisor or someone in a pastoral role
• A Freedom to Speak Up guardian

Surviving in Scrubs advocates for sexual misconduct policies being in place in all NHS organisations and the implementation of clear pathways to reporting. Also important are anonymous online reporting mechanisms. Data collection is essential in defining the prevalence and scope of individuals experiencing harassment.

Furthermore, implementation of these steps will reassure staff that:

• ‘We are going to support you’
• ‘We are going to help you’
• ‘We encourage people to come forward and talk about it’