UHNM Becomes the First NHS Trust to Implement Internal Support Model for Staff experiencing sexual misconduct

Creating safer workplace cultures within healthcare requires more than policies alone. It requires visible leadership, trusted support pathways, confident staff, and organisational systems that work together to create environments where people feel safe, heard, and supported.

Across the NHS, there is growing recognition that staff experiences of sexual misconduct directly affect workforce wellbeing, psychological safety, staff retention, organisational culture, and the ability of staff to confidently speak up when concerns arise. Creating safer organisational cultures is therefore not only a workforce wellbeing issue, but an essential part of delivering safe, effective, and compassionate healthcare.

As part of the wider national focus on improving sexual safety across the NHS, LimeCulture has been working in partnership with University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) to develop and implement an Internal Support Model for staff who have experienced any form of sexual misconduct.

UHNM NHS Trust is the first NHS organisation to implement the Internal Support Model developed by LimeCulture, demonstrating a proactive and sector-leading commitment to improving sexual safety, workforce confidence, and ensuring staff are better supported to raise concerns.

The development of the Internal Support Model aligns closely with LimeCulture’s Safer Culture framework, which recognises that safer organisational cultures are built through multiple connected elements working together to ensure staff feel confident and safe to raise concerns when they experience inappropriate behaviours. This includes leadership and governance, clear policies and reporting processes, training and development, effective support provision, fair investigations, risk governance, and continuous monitoring and evaluation.

Importantly, while formal HR procedures, investigations, safeguarding arrangements, Freedom to Speak Up processes, and reporting mechanisms remain essential organisational systems, they are not always designed to provide the relational and trauma-informed support individuals may need following experiences of sexual misconduct.

The Internal Support Model helps bridge this gap by embedding trained, trauma-informed staff within – and across – the workforce who can provide impartial information, practical guidance, and end-to-end support to colleagues affected by sexual misconduct.

A cadre of staff are trained to provide an accessible and knowledgeable point of contact within their organisation, helping staff to:

• Understand reporting and support options
• Navigate organisational processes safely and confidently
• Access appropriate wellbeing and specialist support
• Make informed choices about next steps
• Feel heard, supported, and believed throughout the process

 
This reflects a core principle of LimeCulture’s Safer Culture approach: that effective organisational responses to sexual misconduct require both robust systems and processes, as well as well-trained people within organisations who have the confidence and competence to respond appropriately and compassionately.

What makes the Internal Support Model different?

The Internal Support Model is not intended to replace existing HR, safeguarding, or Freedom to Speak Up processes. Instead, it complements these arrangements by providing specialist, trauma-informed support alongside formal organisational procedures.

Key features of the model include:

• Trauma-informed and person-centred support
• Trained peer-based sexual safety liaison support embedded within the workforce
• Independent and informed guidance alongside formal processes
• Support focused on communication, safety, and informed choice
• Clear escalation and governance pathways
• Integration with wider organisational culture and workforce strategies

 
For example, a staff member unsure whether to make a formal report may first speak confidentially with a trained sexual safety liaison support to understand available options, access support, and navigate organisational processes in a safe and informed way.

The Internal Support Model has been developed by LimeCulture using learning from specialist liaison and support models already established within schools, colleges and higher education institutions and policing organisations, adapted specifically for healthcare settings and NHS workforce contexts.

Supporting wider organisational culture change

The development of the Internal Support Model within UHNM has formed part of a wider programme of work delivered by LimeCulture to strengthen the Trust’s organisational response to sexual misconduct and workforce confidence. This has included:

• An organisational review of their implementation of the NHS Sexual Safety Charter and existing workforce responses to sexual misconduct
• Engagement with senior leadership teams around organisational culture and sexual safety
• Training for HR staff relating to sexual misconduct, trauma-informed practice, and workforce responses
• Specialist training relating to investigations and disciplinary processes involving sexual misconduct
• Support to strengthen reporting pathways, workforce support arrangements, and organisational confidence

 
Alongside supporting implementation of the Internal Support Model, LimeCulture is delivering an accredited four-day specialist training programme for staff recruited as sexual safety liaison support from across the Trust.

The training focuses on:

• Understanding sexual misconduct within workplace settings
• Trauma-informed responses and communication
• Responding appropriately to disclosures
• Professional boundaries and ethical practice
• Advising on organisational processes and pathways
• Understanding the practical function of the specialist support role within healthcare environments

 
The first two days of training were completed last week, with delegates from across the Trust taking part and helping to build a network of trained staff able to contribute to safer workplace cultures across UHNM.

Leadership commitment

LimeCulture has been particularly impressed by UHNM’s openness, leadership engagement, and willingness to approach sexual safety as a wider organisational and cultural priority rather than simply a policy or compliance issue.