Hospital staff 'need training on abuse'

MANY victims of domestic violence who end up in casualty will not get the support they desperately need unless frontline staff are trained to recognise the telltale signs and deal with this sensitive issue.

St Columcille's Hospital in Loughlinstown found there was a big increase in reported incidences of domestic violence after training programmes were introduced for their frontline staff in May last year.

In particular, referrals of domestic violence victims to its social work department doubled from 36 between July 2002 and May 2003 to 74 over the equivalent 11-month period between June 2003 and April 2004.

The hospital has produced a set of guidelines for staff dealing with patients who are victims of domestic abuse.

Annemarie Murphy, the hospital's designated social worker for victims of domestic violence, said staff needed to be able to help victims disclose the abuse and empower them to deal with the situation.

So far, 120 members of staff have received training in dealing with victims of domestic violence who seek medical treatment in the hospital's accident and emergency department.

The hospital has a database for all domestic violence referrals so that more information will be available to help staff respond to victims in a more effective way.

Ms Murphy said nurses at the hospital were trained to ask patients if they were victims of domestic violence. It was a delicate matter because many women fear that their children will be taken from them if they are referred to a social worker.

"Even if they don't disclose to the social worker, at least they are advised of the services that are there for them in the future," she said.

The guidelines advise how to look for physiological signs of abuse.

Labour's Liz McManus, who launched the guidelines, said they would help victims recover their confidence and make independent choices for their future.