PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Domestic Abuse: Health Services (24 January 2017)

We work closely with the Department of Health on delivering the cross-Government Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy. The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Public Health & Innovation attends the VAWG IMG and officials meet regularly. The Strategy commits the Department of Health to support improvements in responses of health professionals to VAWG for example through roll out of the Identification and Referral to Improve Safety programme, free online training and more firmly embedding routine enquiry into domestic abuse in maternity and mental health services.

Additionally, we have recently published our clear blueprint for local action though our new National Statement of Expectations and the Commissioning Toolkit which provides all commissioners, including local health commissioners, with a clear blueprint for what they need to do to prevent offending and support victims. This includes in-depth help and advice for implementing best practice.

These are supported by the £15 million VAWG Service Transformation fund, which health commissioners can bid into.