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Leigh On Sea News: Specialist GP Support – DAVID Burton-Sampson has welcomed £4.45 million of new funding for Essex to help victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence get specialist support through their local GP practice.
Specialist GP Support - DAVID Burton-Sampson has welcomed £4.45 million of new funding for Essex to help victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence get specialist support through their local GP practice.
DAVID Burton-Sampson has welcomed £4.45 million of new funding for Essex to help victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence get specialist support through their local GP practice.
The funding is part of Steps to Safety, a new NHS service being rolled out by the Labour Government. Under the scheme, GP practice staff will be trained to spot the signs of abuse and respond. A specialist support worker will work across local GP practices, and patients will be referred directly to specialist domestic abuse and sexual violence services across Essex.
The Essex Integrated Care Board is one of 12 in England chosen for the first phase of the scheme, backed by £34.4 million nationally over three years. Locally, the funding will be £949,525 in 2026/27, £ 1,769,524 in 2027/28 and £1,735,075 by 2028/29.
Mr Burton-Sampson, Labour MP for Southend West and Leigh, said: “Violence and abuse wreck lives, and too many victims in Essex, including here in Southend West and Leigh, have suffered in silence for too long.
“For lots of people, their GP is someone they already trust. This funding means that appointment can now be a route to real, specialist help.
“I’m proud that the Government has declared violence against women and girls a national emergency and committed to halving it within a decade. Treating it as the public health issue it is, and getting help to people where they already are, is how we’ll do it.”
Health and Social Care Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “Every woman and girl deserves to live their life safely, securely and without fear. Yet tragically, for millions, the opposite is true.
“That is why we are investing up to £34.4 million across England over 3 years in Steps to Safety, connecting patients in Essex to specialist domestic abuse and sexual violence services through confidential GP referrals.
“NHS services are often the first place someone feels able to ask for help. This government stands with women and girls, and when they seek help, the NHS across Essex must be ready to listen, protect and act.”
Picture: Mr Burton-Sampson.
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