16 June 2022

On Wednesday 15 June 2022, CNWL launched its domestic abuse guidelines for staff to help colleagues support other staff who are suffering abuse at home.

The guidelines signpost to further support for staff too such as through counselling and the Keeping Well services.

Claire Murdoch, CNWL’s Chief Executive, opened the event and said

“We know incidents of domestic abuse rocketed during the pandemic and those who would normally have escape routes didn’t and were at home with the abuse. We’re still living with the impact of that and we have a duty to be an exemplar in the way we support staff.     

“We encourage everyone to bring themselves to work and part of that includes bringing the tough stuff to work too and checking if a colleague is struggling.“ 

In the last year 51,000 NHS staff are known to have experienced domestic abuse (40,000 women) and nurses and healthcare assistants were three times more likely to experience domestic abuse.

Colleen Simon, Health of Social Work and Social Care at CNWL, said the barriers are bigger for black, minority and ethnic staff, lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans staff and disabled colleagues. Those with a disability are more likely to face abuse from a family member and still be living with them too.  

“We need to be open and ask how well we know our staff. Ask “is everything ok? Are you really ok?” Notice subtle changes in a colleague.”

Dr Ryan Kemp, Director of Therapies highlighted the results of a Trust survey where one in two respondents said they had experienced abuse and one in seven said they’d talk to their manager about it. Dr Kemp said,

“If you have a conversation with a staff member and they go and get help then it doesn’t end there - that’s just the start. Your support needs to stay in place. They may tell you things are fine but it’s important to periodically ask. It’s not over after one conversation. Reaching out to a colleague is a powerful thing to do” 

Two staff from CNWL shared their own lived experience of being abused. They both found the support offered by colleagues invaluable once they realised the difficulties they were experiencing at home. They wanted someone to listen to them, not to offer a scripted response but just to be there and notice when they weren’t feeling right.

Our Human Resources Team is here to support colleagues who are being abused, are perpetrating abuse or are wanting to help colleagues who are suffering from abuse.

Nick Green, said

“We need to be careful not to be judgmental about individual choices. Be flexible, open and listen. Be sensitive to other interactions the staff member will have too and ask them if we need to change the nature of their role in anyway and if there is anything in the role they’re finding difficult.  

“We naturally want to protect but should avoid telling someone what to say or do. We need to put ourself in their shoes but not with your own lenses on it. 

Remember sometimes colleagues supporting someone being abused will need support too.”

Staff and managers can find the support guidelines on Trustnet on the domestic abuse page.