Capital Health Network

Strengthening primary care sector response to family, domestic and sexual violence 

It is estimated that a full-time GP is likely to see up to 5 women per week who have experienced some form of intimate partner abuse in the last 12 months. Primary health care professionals such as GPs are often the first point of health professional contact for victim-survivors of family, domestic and sexual violence (FDSV) due to the physical injuries and mental health issues resulting from abuse and violence, and as such have an important role in responding to FDSV.  

As part of the Australian Government’s commitment to the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-32, Capital Health Network (CHN) has been engaged to establish a pilot program in the ACT to support primary health care professionals to better recognise, respond to and refer people at the risk of, or experiencing, family, domestic and sexual violence, including child sexual abuse.  The Pilot builds upon existing domestic and family violence pilots which have been underway since 2020 in 6 PHNs across Australia. CHN’s FDSV Pilot will be one of the 5 new PHN FDSV pilot sites.   

The Pilot aims to strengthen the primary health care sector’s ability to recognise and respond to early signs of FDSV; improve integration between the primary health care sector and specialist FDSV support services; facilitate coordination of referrals from general practices to relevant FDSV support services; improve linkages between FDSV responses at general practice and broader FDSV service system level; and enhance service navigation for victim-survivors of FDSV.  

CHN will work collaboratively with stakeholders to localise, expand and adapt the national DFV model – Recognise Respond Refer (RRR) model, developed by Brisbane South PHN in partnership with The Australian Centre of Social Innovation (TACSI) through an evidence-based, human–centred design process. The model comprises 6 influencing activities as illustrated in the diagram.  

An independent evaluator (Sax Institute) has been commissioned by the Department of Health and Aged Care to evaluate the impact of the FDSV pilots across all the participating PHN sites.  

National helpline 

• 1800RESPECT is a 24-hour national domestic, family, and sexual violence support and counselling service for anyone experiencing, or at the risk of FDSV.  

For more information on the pilot program, please contact our Family Safety team via email familysafety@chnact.org.au