Domestic Abuse
RJAH has due regard to the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, its statutory guidance, and wider safeguarding legislation, including responsibilities under the Care Act and Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023, 2026).
Our approach is aligned with the Shropshire Domestic Abuse Partnership Strategy 2026–2029 , which promotes a coordinated community response, recognising that domestic abuse is a public health issue requiring whole-system action.
We also recognise the importance of sexual safety within healthcare settings, and our approach is increasingly informed by national frameworks such as the NHS Sexual Safety Charter and emerging guidance on patient safety and vulnerability.
We are committed to:
Making Safeguarding Personal, ensuring care is outcome-focused and led by the individual
Accessible and inclusive services for all, including those with protected characteristics
Recognising the impact of rurality, including isolation and barriers to accessing support
We recognise that domestic abuse rarely occurs in isolation and may coexist with other forms of abuse, including sexual abuse, psychological harm, financial exploitation, neglect, modern slavery, and organisational abuse. Our response reflects this complexity through holistic assessment and timely escalation.
Our Policy and Practice
The Trust has developed a new Domestic Abuse Policy (2026), replacing the previous procedure. This policy strengthens our organisational response and reinforces that:
Every patient contact is an opportunity to identify domestic abuse and vulnerability
Staff are expected to ask sensitively about safety and wellbeing where appropriate
Any disclosure of domestic abuse prompts completion of a DASH risk assessment, ensuring a consistent and structured response
In parallel, the Trust is finalising a Sexual Safety Policy, which expands our focus to include sexual safety of patients as well as staff, recognition and response to sexual harm between patients, visitors, and staff, clear pathways for reporting, safeguarding, and referral (including SARCs) and a commitment to dignity, respect, and safe care environments.
Our policies also recognise that staff may be affected by domestic or sexual abuse, and provide access to confidential advice, support, and appropriate workplace adjustments
Children and Domestic Abuse
Children, including unborn babies, are recognised as victims of domestic abuse in their own right where they see, hear, or experience its effects. A Think Family approach is embedded across practice, ensuring that the needs and risks of both adults and children are considered together, and that no individual is assessed in isolation.
We are committed to ensuring that safeguarding responses hear the voice and lived experience of the child, recognise the impact of trauma and adversity and identify risk early and respond appropriately.
Staff are expected to demonstrate professional curiosity, recognising that domestic abuse may be hidden, minimised, or disguised.
Training and Staff Support
In line with the Intercollegiate Roles and Competencies for Health Care Staff all staff receive training appropriate to their role to support identification and response to domestic abuse and sexual violence.
This includes understanding coercive control, trauma, and intersectionality, recognising the impact of domestic abuse on adults and children, applying professional curiosity and Think Family approaches and completing DASH risk assessments and escalating if necessary. Staff are supported to apply the Mental Capacity Act, particularly where coercion or control may impact decision-making.
Staff have direct access to the Safeguarding Team, including the Named Nurse for Safeguarding Children and Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (DASV) Lead and the Named Nurse for Safeguarding Adults and Prevent Lead.
Working with Partners
We work in partnership with local and national organisations to ensure individuals receive timely, coordinated, and effective support. This includes collaboration with:
Shropshire Domestic Abuse Service
West Mercia Women’s Aid
Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAs)
Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs)
Children’s and Adult Social Care
Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences (MARAC)
We recognise that risk cannot be held by a single agency and contribute to a shared, multi-agency safeguarding response.
Prevention, Community and Perpetrators
In line with the Shropshire strategy priorities, we are committed to early identification and prevention through routine enquiry and awareness, supporting community awareness and reducing stigma, contributing to pathways that hold perpetrators accountable and support behaviour change and ensuring staff understand their role in identifying patterns of harmful behaviour as well as victimisation.
Continuous Improvement
We are committed to continuous learning and improvement by embedding learning from Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs) and safeguarding reviews, using data, audit, and lived experience feedback to inform service development, strengthening alignment with local and national safeguarding priorities, developing a Domestic Abuse Champions network and enhancing safeguarding systems and documentation.
The Trust publishes an annual Domestic Abuse and Sexual Safety Statement, ensuring transparency and accountability. This is reported through:
Safeguarding Committee
Integrated Care Board (ICB)
Shropshire Safeguarding Community Partnership
This aligns with governance and oversight arrangements of the Domestic Abuse Local Partnership Board (DALPB).
If You Need Help
If you are experiencing domestic or sexual abuse, support is available. You are not alone.
Shropshire Domestic Abuse Service (SDAS) – 0300 303 1191
West Mercia Women’s Aid – 0800 783 1359
National Domestic Abuse Helpline (24/7) – 0808 2000 247
In an emergency, always call 999