employers need to take action on domestic abuse

The current costof-living crisis is particularly challenging for many people experiencing domestic abuse as the costs of leaving an abuser are greater.

Across the UK, a quarter of all women and around a sixth of all men are likely to experience domestic abuse in their lifetime. This means that most employers will have people in their organisation who are affected by domestic abuse. For those individuals, work may be their only safe place and the actions of an employer can change and potentially save that person’s life.

Domestic abuse is an insidious, largely hidden crime, which impacts children, families, and the wider community. It extends beyond physical violence and includes sexual abuse, violent and threatening behaviour, controlling or coercive behaviour, economic abuse and psychological or emotional abuse. Anyone can be a victim of domestic abuse, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, economic status etc.

The current cost-of-living crisis is particularly challenging for many people experiencing domestic abuse as the costs of leaving an abuser are greater. Those with children may fear that they will be unable to support their family if they leave an abusive relationship.

Some frontline workers at Refuge have said that survivors have returned to perpetrators because they cannot afford to live alone or as a single parent. Employers can make a difference in easing the financial burden, supporting an employee to leave their abuser, potentially saving their life.

Employers’ duty of care - guidance accompanying the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 makes clear that employers

Key points from the new NHS Long Term Workforce plan

should consider the impact of domestic abuse on their employees as part of their duty of care. Employers are uniquely positioned to provide both a place of safety and support to those facing domestic abuse, including those who want to escape an abusive relationship. There is also a strong business case for employers to act. The cost to the economy is considerable, with an estimated £14 billion arising from time off work and reduced productivity. Those suffering from domestic abuse will find it hard to perform at their best (or at all) in the workplace.

Research commissioned by the Vodafone Foundation in 2019 found that only 5% of employers had introduced a specific policy or guidance on domestic abuse at that time. This needs to change. Employers should:

• Implement a domestic abuse policy or guidance (or review and update your existing policy or guidance). EIDA members can access a useful policy template for free.

• Provide trauma-informed training to key people so they know how to respond if a colleague discloses that they are affected by domestic abuse.

• Ensure they have details of providers of specialist support so they can signpost people to the help they need.

The document is in full here.

Overview statement – “Support the health and wellbeing of the NHS workforce and, working with local leaders, ensure integrated occupational health and wellbeing services are in place for all staff.”

Point 25: “ICSs need to develop and implement plans to invest in occupational health and wellbeing services. These should align with the national Growing Occupational Health and Wellbeing (OHWB) Together strategy along with the ICS design framework. The Growing OHWB Together strategy sets an approach to improve health and wellbeing support practices to keep people well. It goes beyond reducing sickness absence, taking a preventative approach through system-wide, integrated and multidisciplinary services. Such approaches make good business sense.

For example, the University of East Anglia and RAND Europe demonstrate that investment of £80 per member of staff in mental health support can achieve net gains of £855 a year through savings from absenteeism and presenteeism. While local context will drive priorities, a core offer could include rapid access to mental health and musculoskeletal advice, guidance and treatment services. As set out in the Fuller Stocktake report, ICSs should look to extend occupational health and wellbeing provision across primary care organisations. NHS England will work with systems and stakeholders to consider how best to complement local investment in OHWB services to keep staff well and therefore increase workforce capacity and productivity.”

Point 95: “The forthcoming government consultation on ways to boost occupational health coverage intends to identify the composition of the multidisciplinary workforce required to deliver employmentfocused interventions to support the wider working age population. Responses will be used to inform ongoing occupational health workforce planning. Occupational health professionals can advise on employment and support people to return to and remain in work, which benefits individuals and the wider economy, as well as the delivery of NHS services.”

SOM Leadership Conference

Tuesday 19th September, 8.30am - 5pm

Draft agenda:

8.30-9.20am Registration and networking

9.20am Welcome - Dr Vicky Mason, Chair of SOM Council

9.30-10.30am Keynote speaker - Dr Shriti Pattani, SOM Past President

10.30-11.30am Compassionate Leader - Dr Daljit Hothi, Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management

11.30-11.50am Tea/coffee and networking break

11.50am-12.30pm Influencing Boards in the NHS, Corporate, Commercial and Military sectors - Dr Paul Litchfield, ITV

12.30-1.30pm Lunch/networking

1.30-2.25pm Influencing Boards in the NHS, Corporate, Commercial and Military sectors - Part 2 - Air Commodore David McLoughlin OBE, SOM Past President - tbc; Christina Evriviades, Oxford University Hospitals

2.25-3.35pm Breakout workshops:

> Strategy Writing - Dr Samantha Phillips

> Leadership and Followships in an MDT setting - Helen Parsons

> Getting the best use out of Metrics and Data - Dr Richard Caddis

3.35-3.50pm Tea/coffee and networking break

3.50-4.50pm Navigating Change/Re-organisation - Dr David Roomes

4.50-5pm Wrap up and close

The Phoenix Centre, Phoenix Place, London WC1X 0DG

This event is in-person only. It is £50 to attend (includes lunch and refreshments). Trainees can book at the discounted rate of £35contact Ann.Caluori@som.org.uk for the discount code.

SOM special interest groups coming up

• Leadership - Friday 21st July 11.30am-12.30pm

• Commercial providers - Monday 24th July 3.30-4.30pm

• CESR - Tuesday 5th September 4-5pm

• MSK - Wednesday 6th September 2-3pm

• HAVS - Wednesday 6th September 4-5pm

• Drug and Alcohol - Tuesday 12th September 3.30-4.30pm

• Academic Forum - Friday 15th September 12.30-1.30pm

• NIHL - Monday 18th September 12.30-1.30pm

• Sleep - Tuesday 26th September 11.30am-12.30pm

• Pensions - Tuesday 26th September 3-4pm

• Construction/ health surveillance - Tuesday 3rd October 1-2pm

There is also a new SOM SIG planned for operations staffcontact natasha.sethna@som.org.uk to join and do contact nick.pahl@som.org.uk if you wish to join other SIGs.

OH updates

• How can office workers spend less time sitting?

- NIHR recently published a summary of research showing that an intervention to encourage office workers to stand and move reduced their sitting time.

• The power (and competitive advantage) of having a doctor inhouse - Make a Difference article here.

• Suicide Postvention guidance launch

- Launch of the first evidence-based co-produced postvention guidance for NHS staff following a colleague death by suicide, register here.