Plymouth review

The panel recommends that awareness of coercive and controlling behaviours should form part of all campaigns which target both the public and professionals.

To recommend that all GP surgeries have ‘stand-alone’ policies for domestic abuse and coercive control. This action will be included in the Community Safety Partnership Action Plan, and GP surgeries or the CCG will be provided with a basic template for a good domestic abuse policy by PDAS. This policy should include guidance on procedure to follow where coercion and control are identified. All GP Surgeries have been provided with a template policy.

the panel recommend that GPs consider adding general questions about domestic abuse and coercive control, what is known as Routine Enquiry (RE), with all their elderly patients. This may be especially important where depression or anxiety are identified. This RE could also be part of an annual review for people over the age of 75. This recommendation will be taken forward by the CCG.

that the CCG investigate either the use of a tool like IRIS which is specifically designed to help GPs with such issues, or to make sure that at least one person at the surgery is trained in how to respond to disclosures of domestic abuse. Domestic Abuse and Coercive Control are significant issues affecting a significant proportion of the patients in any surgery. There are models for domestic abuse champions to be identified in any organisation. It would be this champion who may take referrals, or could advise the GP or other person who takes a disclosure.

The panel considered that this case be written as an anonymised case study to help professionals understand the often hidden nature of control, and its danger when challenged. This case would also highlight some of the specific problems facing elderly people in our communities. The Independent Chair will write a summary and anonymous version of this case to share with local agencies for use in their training.