Health visitors: Are you prepared? A practice evaluation

Abstract

Health visitors work with diverse populations and have key roles in the identification of and initial professional response to domestic abuse. There is a need for adequate training and education in preparing them to enquire into domestic abuse accurately and safely. The aim of this review was to explore preparation for enquiring into domestic abuse; and data was collected using semi-structured interviews with health visitors. There is a need for a better quality and culturally competent training and education package, alongside the creation of materials for health visitors to use to carry out this assessment and take appropriate action. We conclude that there is a lack of high-quality, interprofessional and interactive training and education offered to health visitors in Scotland, which affects the health visiting role and performance.