When should I report an incident?

You should report the incident as soon as you feel safe, comfortable and ready to do so. If you have grave concerns, such as for the safety of a patient or colleague, you have a professional duty to report the incident straight away.

You could talk to someone informally about the incident so that you can make sure you have the care and support you need during this time. You can tell someone whichever details you feel comfortable to let them know about. You can contact anybody who you trust and feel comfortable talking about the incident with. We have suggested some people who would like to support you in the section labelled 'Where can I find support?' By talking to someone, you could seek a range of outcomes, such as arranging your timetable so that you can avoid interacting with the people involved.

A hate crime could be reported to the police if you choose to do so. An investigation then ensues in order to decide whether there is enough evidence to take the case ahead.

Reporting involves making an official complaint in a documented process.

IT IS ALWAYS YOUR CHOICE TO REPORT. You should not be pressured by another person into reporting. You can use the central reporting system to report something.

There are two ways you can report: anonymously or non-anonymously, and either way is acceptable. Reporting can result in several outcomes, depending on how you would like to report. For example, there could be a formal investigation, or the report could provide statistical information to help us monitor these issues at the medical school.