Pharmacies encouraged to sign up to the Sexual Safety Charter

Community pharmacies are being urged to sign up to the Sexual Safety Charter as NHS England has tasked Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) to push primary care providers on this issue.

In 2026, amendments to the Employment Rights Act will require employers to take ‘all’ reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment, and introduce employer liability for ‘third-party’ harassment, where employees report harassment by customers. Future regulations will follow to define what the reasonable steps to prevention will be.

Though not a mandatory requirement, the Sexual Safety Charter and completion of a self-assessment checklist against the Charter’s principles have been developed as a support for NHS organisations.

It ‘may help pharmacy owners get ahead of these legislative reforms’ said Community Pharmacy England (CPE).

ICBs will be following up with community pharmacies by the end of March to understand the initial engagement by the sector with this topic. If pharmacy owners complete the national sign-up form and confirm checklist completion online, then ICBs should not need to follow up with those pharmacies.

The 10 principles of the Sexual Safety Charter are:

• We will actively work to eradicate sexual harassment and abuse in the workplace.
• We will promote a culture that fosters openness and transparency, and does not tolerate unwanted, harmful and/or inappropriate sexual behaviours.
• We will take an intersectional approach to the sexual safety of our workforce, recognising certain groups will experience sexual harassment and abuse at a disproportionate rate.
• We will provide appropriate support for those in our workforce who experience unwanted, inappropriate and/or harmful sexual behaviours.
• We will clearly communicate standards of behaviour. This includes expected action for those who witness inappropriate, unwanted and/or harmful sexual behaviour.
• We will ensure appropriate, specific, and clear policies are in place. They will include appropriate and timely action against alleged perpetrators.
• We will ensure appropriate, specific, and clear training is in place.
• We will ensure appropriate reporting mechanisms are in place for those experiencing these behaviours.
• We will take all reports seriously and appropriate and timely action will be taken in all cases.
• We will capture and share data on prevalence and staff experience transparently.

In a letter to NHS trusts and ICBs on 5 December 2025, NHS England said: ‘Primary care has specific sexual safety challenges, including the isolation that staff experience, and the one-on-one nature of many consultations. It is vital that patients can feel safe in the NHS, no matter what the setting.’

All primary care providers have also been asked to review chaperoning policies in line with new principles published in December 2025.