Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to help ensure that healthcare professionals undertake training on domestic abuse delivered by specialist organisations.

All National Health Service staff undertake mandatory safeguarding training which includes a focus on domestic abuse.

The Health and Care Act 2022 requires integrated care boards (ICBs) and their partner trusts to prepare a Joint Forward Plan (JFP). JFPs must set out how ICBs intend to address the particular needs of victims of abuse; this includes domestic abuse. The JFP also provides an opportunity for ICBs to demonstrate how they will work with multi-agency partners, including utilising established relationships through integrated care partnerships, which include specialist voluntary sector organisations, to address the needs of victims of abuse.