South Central Ambulance Service staff sacked for rape and sex assaults

Figures show that 51 allegations of sexual assault were made against serving South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) staff in five years.

Caroline Nokes, MP for Romsey and Southampton North hit out at the allegations, saying there ‘can be no place in emergency services for anyone who behaves like this’.

SCAS told the Echo its goal is to have zero incidents of any form of sexual abuse.

‘Deeply worrying’

Caroline Nokes (Image: PA)

With more than 4,600 staff employed at SCAS, alongside 1,000 volunteers, the numbers may seem small.

MP Ms Nokes said: “Horrific statistics like this are precisely why my select committee has been looking at the cultures underpinning misogyny. 

“The ambulance service should be better than this and should have in place a zero-tolerance policy that not only empowers victims to speak out, but supports whistleblowers effectively.”

The figures average out to one a month between 2021 and 2022.

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Ms Nokes added: “From the information provided it is clear the majority of the victims were women, and my message to SCAS is they need to make sure women are safe from sexual assault in their organisation.

“They also need to help their male staff be allies and to speak up.”

The 51 allegations against SCAS staff were made over a period spanning five years, from 2019 to 2023, according to the Freedom of Information request made by the Echo.

The highest number of allegations made in two years was 12, in 2019 and 2021 respectively.

In 2022, 10 accusations were made, while 2020 saw the lowest record of sexual assault, likely a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

A total of 11 accusations were made last year, the second highest in the five years.

The figures in full

2019 - 2023

Of the accused, one was a woman and 50 were men.

Some 23 of the accusations were made by fellow staff members.

But 25 per cent of the 51 cases were deemed to have ‘no case to answer’, while 21 per cent of accused staff members were dismissed from the Trust.

Rape

Five cases of rape were reported, two of which were made by members of the public while police alerted SCAS to three reports made directly to them.

This resulted in one dismissal and an ongoing case. The remaining three accusations were classed as ‘no case to answer’.

Sexual assault

Four allegations of sexual assault were made to SCAS in the five-year period.

Two of these were made by patients.

One accusation was made by a staff member, while the other was made by a staff member from another NHS organisation.

Overall, two cases are ongoing, one resulted in a dismissal, and another a first written warning.

Sexual harassment

The figures revealed that 23 allegations of sexual harassment were made by SCAS staff members against their colleagues

One was made by a patient, another a member of the public, and another by someone from another NHS organisation.

Three of the accused were given a final written warning and another three were dismissed.

Meanwhile, six were handed their first written warning, one an informal warning, while one case is ongoing.

Six cases were dropped with no case to answer. The remaining six of the accused resigned from the ambulance Trust.

Sexual misconduct

A total of 15 sexual misconduct allegations were reported to SCAS from 2019 to 2023.

Three reports were made by patients and members of staff, respectively.

Police alerted the Trust to three reports made directly to them by the victim.

Two staff members from an external organisation also made a report, along with one staff member from another NHS organisation.

One external report was also made.

Two additional reports were made to SCAS but it is not recorded who made them.

These allegations resulted in five dismissals, three final written warnings, and one first written warning.

Two cases are ongoing while one case was dismissed.

Historical sexual misconduct

Police put forward one allegation of this nature to SCAS, but it was dismissed.

The Trust, which is one of 10 in England, did not give information about where the incidents happened.

SCAS covers Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Hampshire. 

'People think they hold the power'

Former ambulance area manager Carolyn King has spoken out about reports of abuse elsewhere in the country.

The Devon-based campaigner former Ambulance Action and Support Group to support victims.

Speaking on the sexual assault statistics from SCAS, she said: “Nothing surprises me.

“People think they hold the power and that is when they take advantage.

“We need to have an independent, public inquiry into what is really happening on ambulance services as it is affecting patients and staff.

“Somebody needs to be held accountable because it is misconduct in a public office.”

 ‘Safety is our priority’

South Central Ambulance Service confirmed an investigation is always carried out when an allegation of sexual assault or other misconduct is made.

A spokesperson said: “The safety of staff, volunteers and patients is our number one priority.

“Whilst our goal is to have zero incidents of any form of sexual or other abuse experienced by staff, volunteers or patients, if they have occurred, we have worked hard to ensure people feel confident and safe to come forward so we can investigate.

“This work includes publishing a sexual safety charter, enlarging our team of Freedom to Speak Up guardians and creating a women’s network.

“These new initiatives, alongside our long-established patient experience team and employee welfare and support networks, encourage people to raise concerns through a number of routes and the total number of incidents is reflective of our push to increase the reporting of any inappropriate behaviour so that action can be taken.”