Abuse Resources

Following the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis, the authors have seen an increase in the number of patients attending their continence clinics with issues with the bowel or bladder and/ or pelvic floor dysfunction that were reporting a history of abuse, sexual violence and/or trauma. The authors recognised the need to adopt a more trauma-informed approach to care, and so reached out to Visible, a project which wants to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). They had been approached by Visible to support statutory and voluntary bodies by working together to develop effective policies and best practices. The authors’ understanding of the links between trauma and bowel, bladder, pelvic floor, mental health, and gynaecological issues has grown, highlighting how these experiences may present in diverse and complex ways. They have also recognised that trauma can contribute to inequalities in healthcare and that individuals may find it difficult to know how or where to seek help. Therefore, it is important to raise awareness among healthcare professionals about the specific inequalities faced by those who have experienced CSA, and to recognise that services need to work together to improve outcomes for both patients and healthcare professionals.

Adult safeguarding is the process of protecting an adult’s right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect (NHS England, 2017). High profile abuses such as Winterbourne View and Mid Staffordshire, as well as other cases, have raised the awareness of adult safeguarding, which is everybody’s responsibility. In the community setting, it is paramount that nurses from all specialisms know how to recognise, report and record abuse. The Care Act (2014) recognises ten types of adult abuse and within them there are many forms that these can take (Department of Health and Social Care, 2021). Community nurses should be able to recognise such abuse and its effect on the victim, and know how to record their concerns in a clear, robust manner, ensuring that information is shared between agencies, while also respecting confidentiality. This article provides a brief history of adult safeguarding, an overview of the types of abuse, as well as a definition of the vulnerable adult, how to recognise them, and the statutory bodies and legal frameworks to safeguard adults. Each of the four nations of the UK have their own legislation. This article is concerned with safeguarding in England and the Care Act (2014).

Joan Richardson defines elder abuse and describes how community nurses are in an ideal position to detect it.