NHS announcements on domestic abuse are “half the required dose”

Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse (STADA) welcomes the government’s signal that the NHS must be part of the domestic abuse response but is concerned that the specific measures proposed – which focus primarily on GP surgeries -  are just half of the required dose, when every bit of the NHS is needed to identify and support victims.

STADA has been calling for a clear, detailed, funded plan from the Department of Health and Social Care as part of the wider government Violence Against Women and Girls strategy, due to be published this Thursday. The health announcement on 16th December falls far short of this.

The charity, welcomes the longer term ambition for the NHS to “ensure there are dedicated referral services for women and girls affected by violence and abuse in every area of England by 2029” but  warns that specialist services are currently on their knees through lack of funding and hopes these services will be funded soon to accept referrals from all parts of the NHS.

Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse also welcomes the funded announcement to support child sexual abuse survivors with access to specialist, trauma-informed care.

Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse knows from its years of partnership work with healthcare providers from ICB's, trusts, and independent providers to specialist, voluntary and community sector that survivors of domestic abuse present in every bit of the NHS. Mental health settings, obstetrics and gynaecology, dentistry, maternity and A+E are just some of the services outside of primary care where disclosures are common.

Health professionals working in a full range of health specialisms need the skills to spot the signs of domestic abuse, make sensitive enquiries, record their findings correctly and make appropriate referrals. They also need support and guidance about how to respond to reports of perpetrators. Without the right skills across the health system, and clear standards to work towards, tens of thousands of cases are likely to be missed.

Jackie Hyland, Director of Health, Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse said:

“We’ve long been calling for political recognition that the NHS is a key player in the domestic abuse response, so this is welcome. However, this health announcement is just half the required dose. Enough to improve some of the symptoms of a system that fails victims of domestic abuse, but far short of a cure. What we needed to see was a whole health response – with clinicians skilled up to respond in every part of the NHS and managers working to clear domestic abuse related standards. Investment in GPs and referral routes from them is an important start but there’s a very long way to go.”

She added:

“There is good evidence developed over many years about what does and doesn’t work in health systems to get survivors the help they need and respond to perpetrators. We hope that the government will draw on the findings of projects like Pathfinder, IRISi and Crossing Pathways as it builds a clearer set of guidance for commissioners.”

We would like to see strategic investments in expertise at the ICB level – for example through domestic abuse and sexual safety coordinators – who can help every bit of the health system upskill, meet clearly defined standards and coordinate for the benefit of survivors.”

Recent research in the ‘Never again. Again’ report, shows missed opportunities to respond to violence against women and girls through the health system has fatal consequences. Of the 47 Domestic Abuse Related Death Reviews (DARDRs) published in 2024, 89% had at least one recommendation for the healthcare system where if learning is implemented, future deaths could be prevented. Many of these recommendations did not relate to primary care.

Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse engages with hundreds of health professionals – from nurses to mental health physicians – many of whom are anxious for the system to do better on domestic abuse. We stand ready to work with them and the DHSC and its new VAWG adviser, Jess Asato MP, to ensure that this important step forward in primary care is the start of a much-needed approach across every part of the NHS that draws on years’ of learning by Standing Together and sector colleagues.