Sevenoaks GPs to link abuse victims to support from 2027

GP practices in the Sevenoaks district will get a new route for referring patients affected by domestic abuse and sexual violence to specialist help, after NHS Kent and Medway was chosen as one of the first areas in England to run the national Steps to Safety programme.

The integrated care board (ICB), which plans and pays for NHS services across the county, announced the selection on 7 October. It says work now starts with local partners to design the service, and that delivery is expected to begin from early 2027.

What Steps to Safety is

The ICB describes it as “a nationally funded programme that aims to create stronger referral pathways between GP practices and specialist support services.” Its aims, in the ICB’s words, are to “help more victims and survivors access support, improve safety and reduce the health impacts of domestic abuse and sexual violence.”

The government announced the scheme in December 2025 as part of its strategy on violence against women and girls. The Department of Health and Social Care said then that:

• a specialist support worker will be made available across groups of GP practices, to support practice staff and make sure patients are connected with local specialist services;
• training will be offered to GP practice staff in every region so they can better identify and respond to domestic abuse and sexual violence;
• every area of England should have a dedicated referral service by 2029, “ending the postcode lottery where support depends on where you live.”

Kent and Medway is in the first phase, so patients here should see the service some two years before that national deadline.

Children are included

The Kent and Medway version will not be limited to adults. The ICB says the programme “includes children and young people affected by domestic abuse, reflecting the impact violence and abuse can have on children and families.”

It will bring together general practice, local councils, safeguarding partners and specialist voluntary sector services from across Kent and Medway, the ICB says.

“A trusted place to seek help”

Jennie Hall, Chief Nurse of NHS Kent and Medway, said the GP surgery was often where people first turned.

“Domestic abuse and sexual violence can have a profound and lasting impact on people’s health, wellbeing and lives. We know that many people see their GP practice as a trusted place to seek help, advice and support,” she said.

“Being selected as one of the first areas in England to take part in the Steps to Safety programme is an important opportunity for Kent and Medway. It will help us strengthen the support available to victims and survivors, improve connections between health services and specialist organisations, and make it easier for people to access the help they need.

“This programme is particularly important because it recognises the impact of abuse on children and young people as well as adults. By working closely with our partners across health, local government, safeguarding and the voluntary sector, we can build on the strong foundations already in place and make sure more people receive the right support at the right time.”

What we do not know yet

The ICB has not said how much funding Kent and Medway will receive, which practices or groups of practices will host the specialist workers first, or which voluntary organisations will deliver the support. Those details will come as the service is designed over the coming months.

What it means for you

Nothing changes at your surgery today. From early 2027, staff at GP practices in the district, from Swanley and Edenbridge to the Sevenoaks town practices, should have a specialist support worker to refer patients to, shared across groups of practices. Our count of patients per GP in the district shows how stretched those practices already are, which is part of the case for a dedicated worker shared between them.

You do not need to wait for the new service to get help. The National Domestic Abuse Helpline is free and open 24 hours a day on 0808 2000 247. In an emergency, call 999.