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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Sascha Lavin and Sian Norris

Historical sexual harassment claims not acted on by doctors’ watchdog

A doctor in blue scrubs with a stethoscope around their neck.
13% of sexual misconduct complaints made between 2017-18 and 2021-22 were closed without investigation. Photograph: Lynne Cameron/PA

More than one in 10 sexual harassment complaints against doctors are not investigated by the General Medical Council because of an “arbitary” rule, the Observer can reveal.

According to data obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, 13% of sexual misconduct complaints made between the years 2017-18 and 2021-22 were closed without investigation because the GMC is prevented from considering alleged incidents more than five years after the event.

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