A toolkit for general practitioners developed by Women’s Legal Services NSW (WLSNSW) and backed by the NSW branch of the Australian Medical Association (AMA) has the potential to help doctors nationwide, say advocates.
The toolkit, When she talks to you about the violence, was launched by Associate Professor Brian Owler, president of the AMA (NSW).
“One in five women first mention domestic violence to their doctor”, Professor Owler says.
Executive officer of the WLSNSW, Helen Campbell, said the toolkit will “help doctors in identifying and treating patients who are living in violent relationships”.
“This document provides advice to doctors on how to plan, with their patients, about getting them out of immediate harm and securing their future safely.”
The toolkit, which includes advice on how to ask the patient about abuse, how to respond, support of victims, mandatory reporting and continuing care, is available as a download at http://itstimetotalk.net.au/gp-toolkit/
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The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has released the third edition of its clinical guidelines for intrapartum fetal surveillance.
The guidelines provide recommendations for monitoring women in labour in the absence or presence of recognised risk factors, as well as recommendations on the management of suspected fetal compromise in both the prelabour phase and the active phase of labour.
The guidelines are available at http://www.ranzcog.edu.au/college-statements-guidelines.html
- Cate Swannell