New measures to eliminate FGM

To mark the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), the UK government has announced plans to implement a series of measures to better protect women and girls at risk. 

A £1.6 million fund will be provided by the Department of Health, Department of Education and the Home Office to support the next stage of the FGM prevention programme that will improve the NHS response.

Other measures include: a national system that will allow health professionals to state on health records whether a child is potentially at risk of FGM; more effective training for health workers surrounding communicating sensitively with patients about FGM, through e-learning sessions launched by Health Education England.

What's more, a £2 million investment will see the rollout of a new programme to create a skilled team of social workers who have an abundant amount of experience of working with high-risk FGM females. This move has been supported by Barnardo’s and the Local Government Association.

Public health minister Jane Ellison said: "FGM devastates the lives of women and girls and we are committed to ending this brutal practice in one generation.

"I am immensely proud of this government's legacy and continued work to end FGM. The measures announced today will help the NHS fulfil its duty to care for women who have had FGM, protect them and their daughters from further harm and prevent girls from being mutilated."

It is hoped that the new health commitments will place the NHS in a better position to recognise the warning signs of FGM so that appropriate resources and measures can be carried out from the onset.

Virtual College offer a free online training course 'Female Genital Mutilation: Recognising and Preventing FGM', developed for the Home Office. To learn more, please visit:http://www.safeguardingchildrenea.co.uk/resources/female-genital-mutilation-recognising-preventing-fgm-free-online-training/