To ask the Minister of Health to outline the mental health services his Department provides for victims of domestic and sexual abuse.

Mental health support in Northern Ireland is available to anyone who needs it based on clinical need. My Department also funds specialist support services for victims and survivors of domestic and sexual abuse. This includes the regional Domestic and Sexual Abuse Helpline, which is jointly funded by my Department, the Department of Justice and the Department for Communities. The Helpline is a confidential, freephone service available 24/7.

‘The Rowan’, our regional Sexual Assault Referral Centre, continues to help victims and survivors of sexual abuse recover both physically and emotionally. The Health and Social Care Board also commissions Nexus NI and Men’s Advisory Project to provide specialist counselling support and I am pleased that I was able to provide both organisations with an uplift in funding so that more counselling sessions can be delivered.

In addition, my Department continues to develop the Identification and Referral to Improve Safety Programme with General Practice (also known as ‘IRIS’). IRIS trains and supports GPs to identify and refer patients affected by domestic and sexual abuse to specialist advocacy support. This programme is being co-produced with Women’s Aid, Men’s Advisory Project, Victim Support and Nexus NI and is currently running in East Belfast and Newry and Mourne Federations.

It is important that those suffering from, or at risk of domestic and sexual abuse, reach out and seek help from support services. My Department continues to consider new ways for people to access those services, as set out in the Action Plan recently published under the Stopping Domestic and Sexual Violence and Abuse Strategy.

I also published a Mental Health Action Plan on 19 May 2020 to kick-start the reform of mental health services. Since taking up the role as Minister for Health, I have made mental health one of my top priorities. I accept that we need to do more to help and support those who need mental health interventions.

I have also recently consulted on a new 10 year Mental Health Strategy which I expect to publish during the summer. The Strategy will further outline the need for change and provide a strategic plan for the next 10 years for mental health services.