Primary health care providers are critical in recognising family,
domestic and sexual violence, creating safety for disclosure
and activating support services.
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Family, domestic and sexual violence is a significant public health issue across Australia, with inter-generational consequences for physical and mental health.
As part of the Australian Government’s commitment to the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-32, WA Primary Health Alliance has been successful in its application for two grants to support an effective primary health care response to FDSV.
Two pilot programs will be conducted over three years in locations selected by the Australian Minister for Health and Aged Care.
Working with local stakeholders, WAPHA will adapt a national model for integrating general practice care with the broader service response. This project will be underpinned by a partnership approach that learns from lived experience and established organisations with expertise in the FDSV service response.
In Perth South PHN, the program will focus on supporting the primary care sector response, and in Country WA PHN, the pilot will focus on supporting recovery using a new model of trauma informed care.
This will involve working with key stakeholders like FDSV service providers, peak advisory bodies and people with lived experience to enhance the capability of the general practice team to identify patients and families being affected by FDSV connect them to vital FDSV services.
Quick links:
Project Activity Lead: Rosanne Logie
Rosanne.Logie@wapha.org.au
08 6272 4927
WA Primary Health Alliance acknowledges the individual and collective expertise of people with a lived or living experience of family and domestic sexual violence.
Need help?
If you find yourself in an emergency, or at immediate risk of harm to yourself or others, contact emergency services on 000.
1800RESPECT 1800 737 732 is a 24-hour national sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling line for any Australian who has experienced, or is at risk of, family and domestic violence and/or sexual assault.
Individuals can also access local support services and search the internet using Daisy, a free app developed by 1800RESPECT that protects user privacy.
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The national PHN Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence Pilot is an expansion of a model developed by Brisbane South PHN that builds on existing pilots that are being expanded in:
- Brisbane South PHN
- Nepean Blue Mountains PHN
- Hunter New England and Central Coast PHN
- North West Melbourne PHN
A range of interests were represented in the design process, including Aboriginal communities and women with lived experience. An independent evaluation by the Sax Institute has recently been published and supports the expansion of the program.
The integrated response model comprises six influencing activities that support primary care to take up a defined role in the systemic response to domestic and family violence.
The first grant, Supporting the Primary Care Response to FDSV pilot relates to the Early Intervention domain of the National Plan with an aim to facilitate an improved, integrated primary care response to FDSV in the Armadale region and surrounds, in collaboration with the State Government’s new Family and Domestic Violence One-Stop hub in Armadale. WAPHA will commission a ‘system integrator’ to support general practices, delivering workforce capacity building activities and facilitating innovation to overcome barriers to integrated patient care.
The second grant, Supporting Recovery from FDSV pilot will be implemented in one or more regions of our Country WA PHN. This pilot relates to the Recovery and Healing domain of the National Plan. A draft service model has been developed by a national expert reference group and incorporates a small care team and long-term, trauma-informed therapies for up to two years per individual. The service must be embedded within an existing service.
The integrated response model comprises six influencing activities that support primary care to take up a defined role in the systemic response to domestic and family violence.
- National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children 2022-32
- Change the Story – national framework for prevention
- Path to Safety: WA’s Strategy to reduce family and domestic violence
- WA Aboriginal Family Safety Strategy
- WA Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Strategy (in development)
- Health Consequences of Violence (WHO)
- World Health Organisation RESPECT website
It is estimated that on average, a GP may see up to five women and/or children a week who are experiencing the impact of FDSV, and many of these will not be receiving or seeking support directly for FDSV. It is important that GPs and all practice staff are equipped to “Recognise, Respond and Refer” in a safe and effective way.
Under the new National Plan, Primary Health Networks (PHNs) have been allocated a specific role, reflecting a recent policy recognition of the role of primary care in an effective, integrated response for people experiencing family, domestic and sexual violence (FDSV).
The two grant rounds under which WA Primary Health Alliance is funded were open only to PHNs.
Subject matter experts and key stakeholders consulted during the application phase were supportive of WAPHA’s proposed role in these pilot programs.
Throughout the project, WAPHA will maintain established central advisory relationships with the WA Department of Communities Office for Prevention of Family Violence and the Centre for Women’s Safety and Wellbeing.
Design workshops will be held with key stakeholders to inform the design of activities, and an action research approach will be adopted to incorporate learnings as we progress.
23 Aug 2023
As part of the Australian Government’s commitment to the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-32, WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) has been awarded two grants to support an effective primary health care response to family, domestic and sexual violence.
24 Aug 2023
Read the media release from The Hon Mark Butler MP Minister for Health and Aged Care.