Tue, Apr 21, 2026 page3

• NTUH rolls out gender equality risk assessment system

  • By Lee I-chia / Staff reporter
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  The National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH) has introduced a Gender Equality Risk Assessment Form to help department heads evaluate potential risks, along with enhanced reporting mechanisms, following several reported cases of sexual harassment and sexual assault over the past few years.

  On Taiwan’s Gender Equality Education Day yesterday, NTUH held a Gender Equality and Sexual Harassment Prevention Awareness Campaign under the theme "Advancing Equality, Embracing Respect."

  Speaking at the event, NTUH superintendent Yu Chung-jen (余忠仁) said that the medical environment is fundamentally based on human interaction, where physical contact is often unavoidable during patient care.

  

  National Taiwan University Hospital superintendent Yu Chung-jen, third right, second row, holds placards along with senior hospital administrators and branch hospital directors at a news conference in Taipei yesterday, pledging to promote gender equality and prevent sexual harassment.

  Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times

  However, a clear distinction must be maintained between professional care and inappropriate behavior, and boundaries in gender-related interactions must be explicitly defined and discussed, he said.

  "NTUH is committed to ensuring a safe working environment for both staff and patients during medical care," Yu said, adding that the hospital enforces a "zero tolerance" policy toward any unlawful conduct in the workplace.

  The hospital has also established internal regulations in line with the Gender Equality in Employment Act (性別平等工作法) and the Sexual Harassment Prevention Act (性騷擾防治法), he added.

  In response to a series of reported harassment and sexual assault cases involving healthcare personnel over the past few years, Yu said that the hospital introduced a Gender Equality Risk Assessment Form from abroad in November last year to help management conduct risk evaluations and improve internal controls.

  All departments are required to assess several scenarios involving human interaction, including relationships between colleagues and between supervisors and subordinates, as well as potential workplace risk factors, he said.

  Departments identified as high-risk would undergo enhanced training, and operational procedures and workflows could be adjusted, including guidelines on physical contact and interpersonal distance, to improve oversight and reduce risks, Yu said.

  For handling sexual harassment cases, NTUH has established multiple confidential reporting channels, including a dedicated service desk, hotline and e-mail, allowing staff to report incidents promptly in a safe and low-pressure environment, he said.

  Free psychological counseling is also available, he added.

  The hospital expresses its deep regret over past incidents, said NTUH deputy superintendent Gau Shur-fen (高淑芬), who also chairs the hospital’s Sexual Harassment Prevention and Complaint Committee.

  Gender equality and bodily autonomy are universal values, she said, adding that the hospital would continue refining its prevention and enforcement mechanisms to ensure such cases do not recur.

  The hospital has established clear protocols for clinical procedures, requiring nursing staff to be present in any situation involving physical contact with patients, Gau said.

  Education and training would also be enhanced to improve staff awareness and ensure strict adherence to professional and ethical standards in patient interactions, she said.

  The hospital’s multiple real-time reporting channels are available not only to staff, but also to patients’ families, vendors and outsourced personnel, enabling anyone to report irregularities immediately, Gau said.

  NTUH said that the campaign includes promotional activities, a short film, multimedia presentations and themed exhibitions, all aimed at deepening understanding of gender equality issues among staff and the public, and fostering a safer, more inclusive healthcare environment.
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