NHS Employers has joined an alliance of some of the UK’s best known businesses aiming to fight domestic violence in the NHS.
Working with employers across the health service as part of the Corporate Alliance against Domestic Violence, NHS Employers will raise awareness of the impact of domestic violence on the NHS and offer practical advice on tackling it.
More than two million UK workers are represented on the Corporate Alliance against Domestic Violence, which brings together organisations such as Body Shop International, BBC, AOL Time Warner, KPMG and Vodafone and now the NHS.
Julian Topping, head of workplace health and employment at NHS Employers, said: “Domestic violence is a hidden epidemic which has a huge impact on the NHS. Every day NHS organisations are affected by domestic violence, both as the providers of care for those who are victims and as the employer of staff who suffer from its effects.”
Domestic violence affects thousands of working women every day. Aside from the huge emotional and physical impact, it has an adverse and disruptive affect on employee morale and affects the financial strength and success of organisations. It costs the state around £3.1bn and employers around £1.3bn a year.
As part of its campaign, NHS Employers has published on-line guidance for employers and employees who know or may be victims of domestic violence. There will also be a session on domestic violence at NHS Employers Healthy Workplaces.
