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Healthcare and police join to improve response to hate crime

Healthcare and police join to improve response to hate crime
4 March 2014



Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) have joined with trusts, ambulance services and police to improve and strengthen the health system response in relation to hate crime in their local area. 
The collaboration between Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, University Hospitals of Leicester, Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland CCGs, East Midlands Ambulance Services and Leicestershire Police are aiming to improve engagement with local communities affected with hate crime. 
The multi-agency steering group will: 

Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) have joined with trusts, ambulance services and police to improve and strengthen the health system response in relation to hate crime in their local area. 
The collaboration between Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, University Hospitals of Leicester, Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland CCGs, East Midlands Ambulance Services and Leicestershire Police are aiming to improve engagement with local communities affected with hate crime. 
The multi-agency steering group will: 
 – Map out current health approaches. 
 – Look at best practice in other communities. 
 – Build effective trainAing and learning packages for improving staff understanding. 
 – Improve recording systems in participating trusts. 
Evidence is emerging that hate crime has both physical and mental health related impacts which require health service responses. 
The group believes that acknowledging the impact of hate crime on physical and mental health is an important element to understand all factors affecting the needs of the patient, pathways into services and the impact on the patient experience. 
The steering group claims that raising awareness about hate incidents and the importance of reporting them is crucial, as it encourages individuals to come forward and report it whether they are the victim, witness or third person. 
Dr Peter Miller, Leicestershire Partnership NHS trust chief executive said: “Recognising that healthcare is perhaps the most likely place that someone who has experienced a physical hate crime will go suggests that we should be more involved than we currently are. 
"The first point of contact may be the start of years of interaction with healthcare providers and we need to be aware of the consequences hate crime has on people’s health and wellbeing.” 
Ket Chudasama, assistant head of corporate affairs at West Leicestershire CCG said:” Raising awareness of hate crime in all its forms it’s vitally important if we are to tackle it effectively. This joint initiative is a great step forward.” 

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