Mental health profile
Introduction:
The mental health Pathfinder profile provides practical advice for mental health practitioners and offers guidance on how to ask about abuse, respond to disclosures from patients and refer and signpost victims of domestic abuse. The mental health profile also provides examples of best practice within a mental health setting. This is part of the Pathfinder project which aims to establish a comprehensive health practice in relation to domestic abuse and wider issues relating to Violence Against Women and Girls in healthcare.
Domestic abuse costs the health services £2,333 million every year[1] and every practitioner in the health system will already be treating patients who are experiencing abuse. It is vital that healthcare staff within hospitals are equipped to ask the right questions and support victims through disclosure and referral.
Briefing paper
Guide for mental health practitioners responding to domestic abuse
Other resources
Blog: Domestic abuse and mental health: A GP's perspective
Blog: Tips for mental health professionals working with survivors of domestic abuse
Blog: Trauma-informed work: the key to supporting women
Mental health staff shouldn’t feel intimidated or doubt their role, as they can have so much to contribute to the action planning. And most importantly, they can help ensure victims/survivors access services they may desperately need.
- Alison Eley, Named Nurse for Safeguarding Children, Domestic Abuse and Marac lead, as quoted in Safe and Well, SafeLives' report on mental health and domestic abuse.
[1] Home Office (2019), The economic and social cost of domestic abuse