Doctors’ colleagues were the most common target of alleged sexual misconduct at tribunals last year, new MPTS data shows

A concerning picture for healthcare staff

Judge Fiona Monk, Chair of the MPTS, said the figures highlight a “deeply concerning” reality for those working in healthcare, stressing that professionals should be able to do their jobs without fear of becoming targets of sexual misconduct.

She noted that while tribunals make independent decisions and not all allegations are proved, each case represents a point where earlier opportunities to prevent harmful behaviour have already been missed.

MPTS urges healthcare organisations to act on the evidence

The MPTS is now urging organisations across the healthcare system to use this data as a catalyst for wider discussion and reform.

Judge Monk said she hopes the evidence “serves as a catalyst for change”, emphasising that every proven case of sexual misconduct represents harm to another person and that the system must not become accustomed to seeing such cases.

The call to action forms one of the report’s key themes: • Organisations should use this evidence to drive a wider conversation about how sexual misconduct can be prevented and addressed earlier in the process.

Strengthening tribunal processes

In response to concerns about consistency and handling of sexual misconduct cases, the MPTS has introduced several process improvements, including:

• New Guidance for MPTS Tribunals (November 2025) with more detailed seriousness assessments and sanction bandings
• Trauma‑informed training for tribunal members, including specialist sessions on sexual misconduct and Equality Act considerations
• Strengthened quality assurance processes to identify concerns and trends earlier

The organisation has also updated how it records allegation types. Previously, sexual misconduct sat within a broad “misconduct” category, making it difficult for the public and stakeholders to understand the nature of allegations. The new categorisation system is being retrospectively applied to earlier years’ data.

Wider context

The MPTS runs independent hearings to determine whether doctors, physician associates and anaesthesia associates are fit to practise. The GMC investigates concerns and brings cases to the MPTS, but the tribunal service operates independently of the regulator.

The full dataset, including breakdowns across all allegation categories—dishonesty, sexual misconduct, other misconduct, clinical concerns, adverse health conditions, violent or abusive behaviour, substance misuse, discrimination and determinations of other regulators—is available on the MPTS website.

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