NHS introduces first national staff standards on racism, violence and sexual safety

NHS employers will be formally assessed on how they tackle racism, violence and sexual harassment under new national staff standards, with performance published through league tables for the first time.

The standards, developed by NHS England, the Department of Health and Social Care, trade unions and staff representatives, cover six areas: violence prevention and reduction, sexual safety, tackling racism, flexible working, line management, and health and wellbeing support.

From July 2026, NHS trusts providing secondary care, including acute hospitals, mental health services and ambulance trusts, will be measured against the standards through the NHS Oversight Framework.

Staff experience in these areas, assessed through the annual NHS Staff Survey, will contribute to trusts’ overall performance ratings alongside measures such as waiting times and A&E performance.

The move follows findings from the latest NHS Staff Survey, which showed 14.47% of staff experienced violence at work from patients, relatives or members of the public, marking the second consecutive annual increase.

Karin Smyth, minister for secondary care, said: “NHS staff are the backbone of our health service, and they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.

“The levels of racism, violence and sexual harassment reported by staff are completely unacceptable, and for too long there has been no formal accountability for employers to address them.

“These new standards – a 10 Year Health Plan commitment – change that. For the first time, how Trusts treat their employees will be measured and published, because we know that when staff are supported, patients get better care.”