Standing Together publishes ‘10 Ways the NHS 10 Year Plan can help halve VAWG’
Today, Standing Together is publishing their latest report on the role of the Government’s recently published NHS 10 Year Plan and the role it can play in the Government’s goal of halving Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) in a decade.
Statement from Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse
Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse today publishes a report with ten recommendations to improve the NHS’ response to victims and survivors of domestic abuse.
These recommendations come in response to the recently published NHS 10 Year Plan and should help inform the Government’s imminent VAWG Strategy.
Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse welcomes the ambition of the NHS 10 Year Plan to deliver more preventative and community-based services. However, without embedding a strong and consistent response to domestic abuse, this plan risks missing a vital opportunity to protect lives, reduce harm and contribute to the Government's ambition of halving violence against women and girls.
Domestic abuse is a public health emergency. Survivors experience higher risks of poor mental and physical health and the NHS is often their first and most consistent point of contact. To make the plan effective, health professionals must be equipped to identify and respond to domestic abuse, with clear referral pathways in place for both victims and perpetrators.
One area of particular concern is the proposed “doctor in your pocket” app. Without survivor involvement in its design, digital tools like this could be misused by perpetrators.
“Whether it’s monitoring conversations that are meant to be private, or indeed mimicking the patient to make up symptoms and request unnecessary and harmful medication to control the victim, the potential risks are very serious indeed. Done right, digital tools could support survivors, but their safety must be built in from the very start. ” - Jackie Hyland, Executive Director, Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse.
We stand ready to work with the Department of Health and Social Care on addressing this. Healthcare is often the first and most consistent point of contact for survivors. Embedding a clear response to domestic abuse across the NHS is essential if we are serious about prevention, safety and recovery. Our analysis identifies ten recommendations for Government and the NHS, including: A Domestic Abuse Coordinator/Domestic Abuse and Sexual Safety Coordinator in every Integrated Care Board (ICB). Domestic abuse provision embedded within Neighbourhood Health Centres. Domestic abuse training included in the NHS Workforce Strategy. Stronger national guidance on safeguarding, data protection and clinical coding. Better systems to learn from Domestic Abuse Related Death Reviews. We urge the Government to adopt these recommendations and work with specialist partners to build a health system that is safe, trauma-informed and fit for the future.
Contact: admin@standingtogether.org.uk