Calan DVS To Continue to Deliver the Swansea Bay Health Board IRIS Programme
Calan DVS has successfully been awarded the contract to continue the delivery of the IRIS programme via funding from Swansea Bay University Health Board for a further three years, covering 49 GP practices across Swansea Bay.
Michelle Whelan, Chief Executive of Calan said “We are very pleased to see that Swansea Bay University Health Board recognises the importance of such a programme and for investing in IRIS over the next 3 years, making it a sustainable model. During our previous delivery of IRIS, we saw over 150 referrals into the service over an 18-month period, this is comparison to receiving just 9 referrals from GP’s in the two years prior to the role out of IRIS. It is such an impactful programme, and we are very much looking forward to working with Swansea Bay Health Board and all the GP surgeries across area once again.”
What is IRIS?
The health service plays an integral role in addressing the issue of and transforming responses to domestic violence and abuse (DVA). The IRIS (Identification and Referral to Improve Safety) programme is a training, referral and advocacy model helping clinicians to better support their patients affected by DVA and to increase the awareness of domestic violence and abuse within general practice.
IRIS provides specialist DVA training to clinical professionals, alongside administration staff, within local general practices. The training supports clinicians to recognise and respond to DVA, and the programme provides a direct and trusted source for advocacy for patients following disclosure.
The overall aim of IRIS is to ensure that primary care practitioners can respond effectively to cases of DVA and that specialist support is available for patients. The programme provides two specialist members of staff, the Advocate Educator (a DVA worker) and the Clinical Lead (a GP/healthcare practitioner) who work together to train practices about DVA. The AE also provides specialist support and advocacy services for patients affected by abuse.
As women are most likely to be affected by domestic violence and abuse, the service primarily supports women (aged 16 and above) who are experiencing DVA from a current partner, ex-partner or adult family member. However, IRIS also recognises that abuse can happen to anyone regardless of age, gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation and the programme supports all patients affected by domestic violence and abuse, including male survivors of DVA and survivors in LGBT relationships.
IRIS trained practices are ‘domestic abuse aware’ and are a safe place to disclose abuse and access support.
Calan DVS & the IRIS Programme
At Calan DVS we are committed to ensuring that everyone can access support that recognises issues of identity, discrimination and inequality and that the service is responsive to each individual’s needs.
As part of IRIS in Swansea Bay, we have three Advocate Educators who lead on the training alongside the designated Clinical Leads.
To find out more about the IRIS programme you can contact: enquiries@calandvs.org.uk