The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is inviting Victorian GPs to undertake a new training program to build skills in responding to domestic and family violence.
The new training program resulted from findings from Australia’s first Royal Commission into Family Violence, held in Victoria, which recommended professional development training for GPs in family and domestic violence.
Family and domestic violence is a major health issue in Australia. In the Australian Bureau of Statistics most recent personal safety survey, one in six women reported experiencing physical or sexual violence by a current of previous partner since the age of 15.
Domestic and family violence services reported an increase in demand for services during pandemic lockdowns, which particularly affected people living in Victoria.
The Victorian Health Department has provided $300,000 in funding for the new GP training program, which will run for a year, with the possibility of extending it for another three years.
The RACGP also develops evidence-based guidelines to support GPs caring for patients experiencing family and domestic abuse and violence, called the White Book.
The training will be moderated by the RACGP and facilitated by a family violence expert who will lead GP Peer Group Learning sessions. GPs and practice staff who undertake the training will have the flexibility to choose when and how they want to learn. F
