Scheme that provides training for Cornish GPs on domestic abuse referrals extended to 2025
A pilot by First Light is helping doctors signpost support
GP surgeries in Cornwall are getting training to help people disclose if they have been a victim of domestic or sexual violence.
A pilot scheme by First Light - which helps doctors signpost victims on where they can get support - has been extended to 2025.
Julia Morris, a Domestic Abuse Support Advisor with the charity, said: "The project was piloted two and half years ago. We identified a gap in GP surgeries and we recognised that it was an opportunity for us to get in and talk to people who are disclosing abuse.
"A lot of the GPs admitted they don't have the time to talk to people and once they've asked that question they haven't got the confidence to know where to signpost people who are experiencing abuse.
"So we deliver training to health professionals, giving them confidence to ask those difficult questions; making them aware of how much support we can give them; easy referral process; and we've gone from there really. So, they refer people into our service, we risk assess, meet with them and move them onto the appropriate support."
First Light say in 2022-2023 over 14,000 people contacted them for support, with a 15% increase from the previous year. Over 11,000 people were supported for domestic abuse and/or sexual violence across Devon and Cornwall alone.
Anne Toms, Team Manager for Domestic Abuse at Safer Futures, said: "I think the referrals speak for themselves because they're constantly increasing, but the most important bit is that people are really engaging with us and being signpost off to recovery.
"Along with moving forward, we're doing more around safeguarding, so we're sitting on really important meetings, such as the Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference, and that has developed as the programme has progressed and got bigger."
First Light's training courses are designed to foster early intervention, enhance understanding, develop response skills, and provide support and guidance.
Julia adds: "With a lot of people we've made such a difference. They're not accessing the GP quite so much because we're actually tackling the cause and the relationships with the GP clinics have been fantastic.
"Feedback from the GPs, surgeries and health professionals have said that these people wouldn't have been able to access support previously, so by this service, we're giving those people a voice."