About this page. This page summarises a Domestic Homicide Review published in the Home Office DHR Library. The full report is available at the source link below. Victim and perpetrator names are not included in extracted summaries on this page.
Source · Domestic Homicide Review

Newcastle upon Tyne review

CSP: Newcastle upon Tyne Published: May 2023 Year of death: 2014 Extracted: 11 recs

Statutory domestic homicide review under section 9 of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004. Source: Home Office DHR Library.

View full report (PDF) ↗ Source: Home Office DHR Library

Summary

The review identified a complex history of intergenerational family abuse, substance misuse, and mental health issues, with agencies often failing to holistically explore presenting concerns, conduct adequate follow-up, or engage in multi-agency working, thereby missing opportunities to identify escalating risks.

Extracted recommendations

11 recommendations pulled from the report
# Recommendation Addressed to
1 Safe Newcastle to notify Home Office of ongoing difficulties impacting on review process when GPs feel unable to fully engage in the sharing of information. Safe Newcastle | Home Office
10 To continue to raise awareness of the Adult Safeguarding Team who are available to offer support and advice to staff, and their role within the organisation, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
11 To continue to raise the profile of Adult Safeguarding within the organisation, ensuring that staff have a clear understanding of partnership working with internal and external agencies which achieves best practice and outcomes for patients. Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
2 Learning and actions for National Probation Service to be shared with Northumbria Community Rehabilitation Company for consideration in relation to ongoing practice. National Probation Service | Northumbria Community Rehabilitation Company
3 GP surgery to ensure systems are in place to review information received from sources such as hospitals and flag any concerns appropriately on patient records. Newcastle Gateshead Clinical Commissioning Group
4 CCG to identify actions that can be taken to ensure that repeated learning from homicide reviews around the need to consider historical information and fully explore presenting concerns, is being actively addressed within practices. Newcastle Gateshead Clinical Commissioning Group
5 Further input needs to be given to 24/7 and Neighbourhood Officers regarding fully updating the electronic DV screens with regard to actions taken and the rationale behind those actions. This could be achieved by way of an internal communication circulation. Northumbria Police
6 The author identified that they believed the case highlights the importance of conducting at least one home visit to an offender, and that this should where possible be conducted regardless of the level of assessed risk. Clearly operational commitments dictate the feasibility of home visits being conducted on every case, however if such visits can give even the slightest indication of abusive behaviour within a family home, then this in itself could prove an effective method of protecting others from serious harm or even death. National Probation Service
7 All GP’s and clinical Staff at the GP practice should attend Domestic Violence Training sessions. Such training is available from Newcastle City Council or via NHS Newcastle Gateshead Safeguarding Adults Team. A register should be kept of those attending training and refresher training should be booked in accordance with the safeguarding adults policy. Newcastle Gateshead Clinical Commissioning Group
8 The findings of local research around the outcomes of DHR should be recirculated to all GPs to ensure lessons learned are disseminated as this may allay genuine anxieties for GPs when asked to share information and participate in future review. This has already been incorporated into Domestic Violence Training materials in a recent revision. The report will be recirculated via Practice Managers and Safeguarding Leads. Newcastle Gateshead Clinical Commissioning Group
9 To maintain levels of training and awareness of Domestic Abuse for staff within the Trust. Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Recommendations extracted from the published report. Source: Home Office DHR Library. View full report ↗