As reported by the National Health Executive, the government names new adviser to strengthen NHS response to violence against women and girls
Jess Asato MP has been appointed as the government’s new Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Adviser, a role designed to accelerate an overhaul of how the NHS identifies and supports victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence.
Her appointment sits alongside wider reforms already underway – including mandatory safeguarding training for all NHS staff, the rollout of Raneem’s Law placing domestic abuse specialists in 999 control rooms, and the introduction of Domestic Abuse Protection Orders.
Asato has been tasked with driving cultural change across the health service to ensure women experiencing abuse are recognised and helped sooner. A key part of her brief involves embedding specialist VAWG support into Neighbourhood Health Centres – the planned “one-stop shops” where GPs, nurses, pharmacists and other services will work together under one roof.
Over the next six months, she will focus on three priority areas: reducing the role of alcohol in violence against women and girls; improving the commissioning of local services so support is available where it’s needed; and strengthening access to specialist help through neighbourhood health teams.
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