Midwives, health visitors and GPs have been encouraged to take a more active role in tackling domestic violence, under new government guidelines.
The Department of Health handbook suggests front-line staff should be aware of signs that could indicate domestic abuse and give all pregnant women information about support services.
Local health policy-makers and managers are also advised to participate in local multi-agency forums and work with organisations tackling domestic violence.
The DH’s domestic violence co-ordinator, Christine Mann, said: “The whole thing is about the health service making a contribution to a multi-agency response. This is a case of identifying and referring, to facilitate women having the information they need to take their own initiative.”
Responding to Domestic Abuse: A Handbook for Health Professionals from www.dh.gov.uk
Guide urges health staff to act on fears
January 19, 2006 in Children
More from Community Care
Related articles:
Featured jobs
Community Care Inform
Latest stories
‘A kick in the teeth’: DfE axes social work leadership training programme
Firm pulls out of providing service for council that union claims would have broken social work strike
Improving public perception of social work requires positive media exposure, say practitioners
‘The power of social work has shaped who I am’ – ADCS’s new care experienced president
Comments are closed.