Abstract Introduction
Domestic abuse and sexual violence are recognised as a key public health priority, cross cutting all geographic and cultural groups, with impacts being devastatingly long and lasting.NICE guidelines recommend tackling domestic abuse and sexual violence effectively requires a multi-disciplinary approach.
Methods
Wiltshire undertook an epidemiological, corporate and comparative health needs assessment and established a multi-agency partnership to co-produce a new service model, built around local need and emerging evidence-base.
Results
National prevalence rates project 9,374 women and 5,891 men to be experiencing domestic abuse in Wiltshire. The actual number of incidents remain significantly lower 3,205 (2017/18), signalling a culture of non-reporting and un-met need. Wiltshire identified domestic abuse as the third highest presenting factor on an early help common assessment framework; and single assessments identified domestic abuse in 60% of emotional abuse cases. Previous services focused on adult victims, with limited support for children. Wiltshire commissioners reconfigured the service offer, using a multi-agency approach to co-production. Using the evidence, the new service focused on earlier intervention and co-location alongside multi-agency teams.
Conclusions
The spirit of ‘co-production' contributed to raising the agenda's profile, securing increased resource and maximising the model's effectiveness during implementation. Co-location of services addresses the needs of the whole-family and through an integrated approach has established clear referral pathways, improving earlier accessibility, preventing escalation of risk and severity of abuse, as well as keeping families together where safe to do so. External funding details FundingLocal Authority Public Health, Children's Services, Housing, Adult Social Care and OPCC.