Fallodon Way are now a Domestic Abuse Aware Practice 

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Our clinical and reception teams have worked with IRIS (Identification and Referral to Improve Safety) in a structured programme to improve the primary care response to domestic absue and violence as well as establishing a direct referral pathway to a specialist advocate educator. This collaboration between primary care and IRIS empowers staff to recognise, ask about, and safely refer patients experiencing abuse. 

Key components to becoming an IRIS-trained practice include:

• Training for All Staff: IRISi provides tailored training sessions for clinicians (GPs, nurses) to improve identification and clinical responses, as well as separate training for administrative/reception staff to improve engagement and safety.
• Specialist Support (Advocate Educator): A named specialist worker (Advocate Educator) is assigned to the practice to provide ongoing, in-house support, mentoring, and, in some cases, direct patient appointments, ensuring a robust and knowledgeable approach.
• A Clear Referral Pathway: The program establishes a simple, trusted pathway for clinicians to refer patients directly to the Advocate Educator, often leading to better engagement than self-referral.
• Practice Recognition: Participating practices receive resources (such as posters and cards) to display, marking them as a DA-aware practice, which helps patients feel safer disclosing abuse.
• Continuous Improvement: The program involves regular, ongoing support rather than one-off training, ensuring the practice maintains high standards in responding to domestic violence and abuse (DVA). 

By implementing IRIS, practices shift from a reactive to a proactive approach, significantly increasing the identification of patients affected by abuse and improving their safety through targeted support. 

How can we help? 

Are you being hurt or controlled by someone at home?

Are you worried that your behaviour frightens or hurts your partner, your child or someone else in your family?

Domestic violence can happen to anyone regardless of gender, age, sexuality or ethnicity.

You can talk to doctors, nurses and other staff working here, in private.

Published: Feb 9, 2026