Letters to the Editor: Training needed to tackle new FGM duty

Letters to the Editor: Training needed to tackle new FGM duty

Figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre last month revealed that more than 1,000 women and girls with female genital mutilation (FGM) were treated by the NHS in England and Wales in only three months.

This figure does not mean that new cases of FGM are on the rise, but rather that health professionals are paying better attention and are correctly identifying and recording patients with FGM. And so they should.

But we suspect these figures are only the tip of the iceberg. With mandatory recording duties for GP practices and mental health trusts coming into effect on 1 October, there will probably be an even bigger spike in numbers in the next set of data. Only then can we begin to grasp the full scale of this issue in the UK.

FGM is affecting women and girls across the country, not just in areas with high numbers of people with African or Asian heritage. Health care professionals, social workers and teachers should be especially aware, as they too will soon play a key part in identifying women and girls who have undergone FGM.

FGM has been a crime since 1985. But amendments to the Serious Crime Act 2015 mean that it will become mandatory to report “known” cases of FGM on girls under 18 to the police. A date for the duty to come into effect is expected to be announced by the Home Office this month. The duty will apply to all regulated professionals working within health, social care and education in England and Wales.

Reports of visually confirmed or verbally disclosed cases of FGM will have to be made to the police the next working day and at least within one month.

Sadly, professionals across local authorities, health, education, the police and the voluntary sector lack the skills and confidence to provide the co-ordinated and joined-up approach required to prevent, protect and treat girls and women affected by FGM.

Barnardo’s will be holding our first conference in London, on 20 October, concentrating on mandatory reporting. Karen Bradley, minister for preventing abuse and exploitation at the Home Office, will be speaking, with anti-FGM campaigners and professionals working in the field attending.  

Through the National FGM Centre, Barnardo’s and the Local Government Association have also developed a national resource for professionals across England, combining expertise in social care, health, education, community engagement and youth work. We’ll use these resources to enable professionals and local authorities to understand how the new duty affects them and ensure they are able to respond appropriately to girls affected in their local area.

Javed Khan, chief executive, Barnardo’s