More than a fifth of doctors were sexually harassed by patients and colleagues or saw it taking place over the last three years, according to a survey.
Of the 1,316 doctors that responded to Medscape, 17% said they had been sexually harassed by a patient, while 3% said a colleague was responsible.
And 4% said they had witnessed it taking place, according to the Sexual Harassment of UK Doctors: Report 2019.
The researchers calculated the total as 21% after taking into consideration overlap between doctors who experienced or saw more than one incident.
Unwanted behaviour
They found that more than half of the reports of unwanted behaviour from patients included acting in an overtly sexual manner (53%).
Some 29% of respondents said the patient had asked the doctor on a date, while 24% said they tried to grope or rub against the doctor.
The most common types of harassment reported by the respondents from colleagues included deliberately infringing on personal space/standing too close; unwanted groping, hugging, patting, or other physical contact; sexual comments about body parts and leering.
Dr Rob Hicks, GP and co-author of the report, said: "The healthcare clinical setting is often a high-pressure environment, with doctors increasingly reporting a great deal of stress.
"Doctors have a right to a safe workplace yet this report shows that many are still experiencing or witnessing unacceptable behaviour by colleagues and by patients."
More than half (56%) of those who said they had experienced sexual harassment had not formally reported it, while the same proportion had been harassed by a colleague in a more senior position.
Almost half avoided working with specific colleagues, 29% had thoughts about quitting their job and 40% adopted negative coping behaviours including binge eating or drinking alcohol.
