Margaret Pegnall
Action Taken
Old Catton Medical Practice has accepted the concerns and implemented several changes to its domestic abuse protocol, including incorporating a DASH-based questionnaire, using DASH scoring for agency elevation, and updating the flowchart with more comprehensive agency information. The revised protocol has been shared with all clinicians and staff. (AI summary)
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Dear Ms Lake
Investigation and Inquest - Margaret Pegnall - Inquest date 22nd December 2015
Thank you for your Report to Prevent Future Deaths and your Matters Of Concern contained in the report, indicating where improvements to avoid Domestic Abuse incidents might be made.
The Practice accepts that our identification, procedures, protocol and action flowchart can be improved. The existing flowchart was very substantially based upon one prepared by the RCGP (Royal College of General Practitioners).
During the inquest, the Police were considered to be using a much more robust system based on the DASH (Domestic Abuse, Stalking and Honour Based Violence) model. We therefore looked to that model to see how our own procedures and policy could be improved.
After reflecting on your findings and the inquest, we have made a number of changes as follows:-
* A DASH based questionnaire and assessment for Domestic Abuse is incorporated into our protocol
* The DASH questionnaire responses will be scanned to a patient record, to record domestic abuse and consent to sharing of data
* The DASH scoring system will help to ensure appropriate elevation to other agencies at the appropriate time
* Within the protocol is more comprehensive information of helpful agencies than previously held. This information can easily be printed/sent to patients in need.
* The flow chart has been updated and improved within the protocol.
* The revised process and protocol has been shared directly with all Clinicians at a Practice meeting. It has also been more widely circulated within the Practice with a staff requirement to read the update.
Despite creating and updating our own protocol it would be very helpful for a model policy to be widely available for all Practices, written and approved by major stakeholders. This exists for Safeguarding in general but not, I believe, specifically for Domestic Abuse.
Partners: Dr Robert Keane Dr Marko Anttila Dr Anjana Rani Nurse Practitioners: Stephanie Hesse Practice Manager: Mr David Morter
***
I trust the above and attachments show our determination to change and avoid a similar situation occurring again.
If you have any further points you would like to discuss, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Investigation and Inquest - Margaret Pegnall - Inquest date 22nd December 2015
Thank you for your Report to Prevent Future Deaths and your Matters Of Concern contained in the report, indicating where improvements to avoid Domestic Abuse incidents might be made.
The Practice accepts that our identification, procedures, protocol and action flowchart can be improved. The existing flowchart was very substantially based upon one prepared by the RCGP (Royal College of General Practitioners).
During the inquest, the Police were considered to be using a much more robust system based on the DASH (Domestic Abuse, Stalking and Honour Based Violence) model. We therefore looked to that model to see how our own procedures and policy could be improved.
After reflecting on your findings and the inquest, we have made a number of changes as follows:-
* A DASH based questionnaire and assessment for Domestic Abuse is incorporated into our protocol
* The DASH questionnaire responses will be scanned to a patient record, to record domestic abuse and consent to sharing of data
* The DASH scoring system will help to ensure appropriate elevation to other agencies at the appropriate time
* Within the protocol is more comprehensive information of helpful agencies than previously held. This information can easily be printed/sent to patients in need.
* The flow chart has been updated and improved within the protocol.
* The revised process and protocol has been shared directly with all Clinicians at a Practice meeting. It has also been more widely circulated within the Practice with a staff requirement to read the update.
Despite creating and updating our own protocol it would be very helpful for a model policy to be widely available for all Practices, written and approved by major stakeholders. This exists for Safeguarding in general but not, I believe, specifically for Domestic Abuse.
Partners: Dr Robert Keane Dr Marko Anttila Dr Anjana Rani Nurse Practitioners: Stephanie Hesse Practice Manager: Mr David Morter
***
I trust the above and attachments show our determination to change and avoid a similar situation occurring again.
If you have any further points you would like to discuss, please do not hesitate to contact us.