Agencies fear referral spike

Community groups fear they do not have the resources to cope with a likely upsurge in the numbers of domestic-violence victims seeking help.

The Health Ministry will roll out its domestic screening programme to all district health boards today, requiring every female patient between the ages of 16 and 65 to be asked about family violence when they visit a hospital.

The programme has been running successfully in Auckland since 2001, after being piloted at the National Women's Hospital.

Preventing Violence in the Home executive director Jane Drumm said the community group had worked with the National Women's Hospital since 2001 on the project.

She said one of its strengths was that it was universal.

"No-one is being picked out with someone saying to them `you look like someone who is abused' – it's universal," she said.

However, Drumm said the national programme was likely to increase the rate of referrals, making funding an issue.

"There are a number of large initiatives rolling out and we will get a greater increase in referrals but haven't got any extra money."

Women's Refuge chief executive Heather Henare was also concerned about funding. "Without any doubt we want women and children in trouble or under threat to access help and be safe, but the Government and its departments and ministries have to take into account the additional workloads created for Refuge and other NGOs (non-governmental organisations) as a result of these sorts of programmes."

Health Ministry violence intervention programme manager Jo Elvidge said they would ensure there were enough resources, and Women's Refuge had been asked to monitor referrals.

"Clearly we want to be sure they have the capacity to deal with extra referrals coming from the health sector," she said.

Women's Refuge was also concerned that there be no pressure on women to talk in order to receive hospital treatment.

Elvidge was quick to dispel that concern.

"It is an invitation to talk. There is no suggestion whatsoever that this is an entry test for treatment. Nor is there any compulsion to answer."

The long-term plan is for the entire health sector to carry out the screening.

College of Midwives' adviser Norma Campbell said the organisation had been involved for the past six years.

"We've been running family violence education since 2001, and midwives have been actively encouraged to screen every woman since 2002," she said.

"It's been very widespread among maternity but it needs to spread into other sectors."

Nurses, who will usually be asking the questions in public hospitals, welcomed the move.

Nurses' Organisation chief executive Geoff Annals said it was important the right training was provided for it to be successful.

"It is absolutely right that nurses be part of the solution," he said.

"What is important is that they are given the tools to do that job well.

"Women and children figure overwhelmingly as the victims of domestic violence, and will often come into contact with primary health and emergency department nurses, so this approach does seem the right thing to do."

Canterbury District Health Board child protection co-ordinator Sue Miles said the screening would be welcomed, although with training and support needed first, she could not say when it would be implemented.

Barrington Medical Centre GP Graham McGeoch was also supportive of the measure..

"It would need to be adapted though for general practices, which have different circumstances," he said.