Ahpra is looking at ways to strengthen health practitioner capability in responding to family, domestic and sexual violence (FDSV).
The regulator together with National Boards and accreditation authorities issued a joint statement committing to build the health workforce’s capability in the area in line with the National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children 2022-2034.
The signatories to the statement said this would be done through a focus on professional capabilities, codes of conduct, and continuing professional development guidelines.
Ahpra CEO Justin Untersteiner said health practitioners were uniquely positioned to support victim-survivors and help address family violence.
“Health practitioners are often the first – and sometimes the only – trusted professionals that victim-survivors can turn to for help,” he said.
“Ensuring practitioners have the skills to recognise and respond to family, domestic and sexual violence safely and sensitively can make a real difference in the lives of victim-survivors.”
About one in five Australian women who experience violence from a current or former partner turn to a general practitioner or other health professional for advice or support.
The joint statement said efforts would focus across a practitioner’s career from student, to a newly registered health practitioner, to an experienced professional.
It acknowledged work was needed to strengthen professional capabilities to be more explicit about responding to FDSV.
An independent accreditation committee is exploring the development of common professional capabilities on FDSV that could apply across all health professions and inform pre-registration education.
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The signatories said they intended on strengthening the codes of conduct to be more explicit about the knowledge and skills practitioners are expected to have and use to recognise and respond appropriately to FDSV in their practice.
“This includes an understanding of any additional risk-management concerns for the safety of patients/consumers and practitioners themselves,” the statement said.
National Boards are exploring how they can strengthen CPD guidelines to make it clear that health practitioners are expected to prioritise developing their knowledge and skills in FDSV.
The joint statement also strongly encouraged health practitioners to prioritise CPD on FDSV.
“For some health practitioners, this could be developing foundational knowledge about the dynamics and impact of FDSV and a deeper understanding of their local FDSV services,” it reads.
“Other health practitioners already have knowledge, skills and expertise in FDSV. Depending on their circumstances, these practitioners may choose to review contemporary literature or create risk-management strategies for their practice.”
Professor Jane Dahlstrom, Chair of the Medical School Accreditation Committee, Australian Medical Council, said preparing the workforce needs to occur well before practitioners start practising.
“It’s important that students start developing the skills and knowledge to recognise and respond to family violence from the outset of their careers,” she said.
Practitioners can access Ahpra’s guidance on professional obligations to recognise and respond to family violence sensitively and safely on the Ahpra website..
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