Sexual offence reports recorded within University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust have risen sharply over the past three financial years, according to figures released under the Freedom of Information Act.
The data, disclosed in response to FOI reference FOI/IG/10945, shows a marked increase in incidents logged both on the Trust’s internal reporting system (Datix) and through safeguarding referrals.
Incidents Recorded on Datix
According to the Trust, the number of sexual offences recorded on Datix was:
- 2022/23: 15
- 2023/24: 27
- 2024/25: 52
This represents more than a threefold increase over the three-year period.
Safeguarding Referrals
Separate figures provided from safeguarding referrals show even higher numbers:
- 2022/23: 15
- 2023/24: 70
- 2024/25: 73
The Trust emphasised that safeguarding referrals do not necessarily indicate that an offence occurred on hospital premises. In some cases, the offence may have involved a current patient or staff member but taken place elsewhere. This distinction explains the disparity between Datix incident reports and safeguarding referral figures.
Nonetheless, the scale of the rise — particularly between 2022/23 and 2023/24 — is significant.
Who Made the Allegations?
The Trust also provided a breakdown of who made the allegations.
Datix reports (three-year total):
- Allegations made by staff: 21
- Allegations made by patients: 73
Safeguarding referrals (three-year total):
- Allegations made by staff: 15
- Allegations made by patients: 138
- Allegations made by members of the public: fewer than five
In both reporting systems, patients account for the overwhelming majority of allegations.
Staff Discipline and Dismissals
The FOI request also asked how many staff members had been disciplined or dismissed in relation to sexual offences over the same three financial years, including physical sexual assault and verbal sexual offences.
The Trust stated that its current HR tracking system only contains data from October 2023 onwards.
It was disclosed that the number of staff dismissed in relation to a sexual offence during the relevant period was fewer than five. Figures below five are not specified precisely, as doing so could risk identifying individuals.
The Trust applied a partial exemption under Section 40 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, which protects personal data under Data Protection legislation.
A Sharp Upward Trend
While the Trust has not provided commentary on the reasons behind the rise, the data reveals a steep increase in recorded sexual offence reports, particularly between 2022/23 and 2023/24.
Whether this reflects improved reporting mechanisms, greater awareness and confidence among victims, or an increase in incidents themselves is not addressed in the response. What is clear, however, is that the volume of recorded concerns has escalated substantially in a relatively short period.
With 52 Datix reports and 73 safeguarding referrals recorded in 2024/25 alone, scrutiny over safeguarding practices, staff conduct procedures and reporting systems is likely to intensify.
The figures raise pressing questions about prevention, accountability and transparency within one of Dorset’s largest public institutions.
