PCC funds vital support service for victims of domestic abuse in hospital settings

Victims of domestic abuse who attend hospital for care or treatment will receive specialist help from a new support service funded by Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen.

The County Durham and Darlington PCC, who has vowed to better protect and support victims of abuse in her new Police,Crime and Justice Plan, has commissioned Harbour Support Services to provide a Specialist Mental Health and Hospital Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) Service.  

The service, costing an initial £43.5k and due to run until March 2026, will see a full-time IDVA working between Darlington Memorial Hospital and the University Hospital of North Durham to provide immediate support to both adult and child patients seeking treatment for injuries or mental health episodes they have experienced or may still be experiencing from domestic abuse.

The IDVA will also provide ongoing advice and support to frontline health professionals to equip them with the skills and knowledge needed to identify patients who may require the support.

The aim of the service is to expand opportunities to safeguard and support victims of domestic abuse and to link individuals to longer-term community-based support while reducing further attendance at A&E in the future.

The IDVA will work closely with victims and survivors to increase engagement with community-based support, providing an initial assessment to develop individual Support and Safety Plans. These must receive the consent of the victim before being implemented.

Any safeguarding issues relating to children or vulnerable adults impacted by the abuse will be identified during the assessment and action taken.

Tackling domestic abuse is a key commitment in the PCC’s new Police, Crime and Justice Plan, with the Commissioner pledging to ensure that specialist support services are available including the provision of IDVAs who work to meet the individual needs of victims and enable them to build resilience and live safely.

Among other pledges, the PCC has vowed to explore opportunities for further co-commissioning of services to support anyone impacted by domestic abuse and to ensure effective use of all available protection and prevention orders to safeguard victims.

Joy Allen said: “I am delighted to fund this new service which further increases the accessibility of our high-quality domestic abuse support offer.

“Our hospitals are safe spaces, tending to patients who are often at their lowest ebb. By providing experienced and skilled IDVA services on-site, we will ensure victims of domestic abuse are offered timely and appropriate trauma-informed support to reduce their future risk of harm and can begin the journey to rebuild their lives.

“I’m grateful to all partners involved in bringing this programme to fruition. Ensuring victims of domestic abuse feel listened to, understood and supported is one of my highest priorities as Commissioner. IDVA roles require great sensitivity and compassion as well as proven experience in supporting victims of violence. Undoubtedly, offering professional, non-judgmental support and safety planning early saves lives and I hope that through the improvements we are making to service provision we will encourage more victims to come forward and seek help.”

As part of the new service, the PCC intends to capture accurate information and data regarding the number and type of admissions to better understand the victim experience and to develop further effective responses.

The IDVA will be flexible and travel between sites depending on need and support required. For those victims who attend hospitals outside the scope of the project, the service will work collaboratively with IDVAs funded to work in other healthcare settings.

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