About the Centre of Expertise

CMO Taskforce for the improvement of services for adults, children and young people who have experienced rape and sexual assault

Overview

In March 2017, the then Chief Medical Officer for Scotland, was asked by the Scottish Ministers to establish a Taskforce to provide national leadership for the improvement of healthcare and forensic medical services for adults, children and young people who have experienced rape, sexual assault and child sexual abuse.

Vision of the Taskforce

Consistent, person centred, trauma informed health care and forensic medical services and access to recovery, for anyone who has experienced rape or sexual assault in Scotland.

The remit of the Taskforce is to:

Work closely with health boards and other multi-agency partners to ensure the timely delivery of person centred, trauma informed services for people of all ages, in line with the Taskforce vision and the Healthcare Improvement Scotland Standards;

Oversee the work of the six subgroups and associated expert groups, tasked with the delivery of recommendations one to nine from the HMICS Strategic Overview of Provision of Forensic Medical Services to Victims of Sexual Crime  report, 2017 (recommendation ten is led by the National Police Care Network).

Six subgroups have been established under the remit of the Taskforce, each leading on the specific area of work. A number of other groups report into the subgroups as shown in the governance diagram .

The Taskforce has wide representation from experts, including health, justice, social work, and the third sector partners, such as Rape Crisis Scotland, to ensure the voice of lived experience is heard.

The Forensic Medical Services (Victims of Sexual Offences) (Scotland) Act 2021 underpins the work of the Taskforce

Centre of Expertise

Each of the NHS Scotland regions were tasked with creating a Centre of Expertise for Sexual Assault and Rape Services, which would benefit both service users and staff, as well as ensuring each Board was working in a way that meets the standards set by Health Improvement Scotland (HIS). 

Health Improvement Scotland (HIS) Standards for Forensics.pdf

In January 2020, it was agreed by the NoS Forensics and Custody HealthCare Alliance that the North Centre of Expertise would be virtual; this was agreed to be the best way to ensure all North staff and service users were supported.