London Sexual Violence Grants Programme 2022 (360G-cabinetoffice-G2-GA-2023121166684-22-23)

In 2018/19 NHS England made an additional £4million per annum available nationally to support the implementation of the Strategic Direction for Sexual Assault and Abuse Services Lifelong care for victims and survivors: 2018 - 2023. Of this a recurrent annual sum was made available to London. NHS England (London) is initiating a Sexual Violence grants programme to manage the disbursement of these funds. It is offering funding specifically for the voluntary sector up until 31st March 2025. The intention of this grant is to meet the core priorities as set out in the SAAS Strategy through a variety of services offered in the voluntary sector and its resulting health, wellbeing and potential criminal justice outcomes for victims and survivors of abuse and assault, as well as broader workforce training and awareness raising in other services and sectors. Based on previous experience we anticipate awarding four to five grant recipients with the maximum grant available per organisation or partnership capped at £450,000 p/a with other successful bidders awarded thereafter based on the evaluation methodology. Each grant proposal will need to set out in their application how they intend to respond to three of the cross-cutting core priorities plus one other, what the geographical coverage will be and what outcomes will be achieved. The core priorities are as follows: National priority 1: Strengthening the approach to prevention National priority 2: Promoting safeguarding and the safety, protection and welfare of victims and survivors National priority 3: Involving victims and survivors in the development and improvement of service National priority 4: Introducing consistent quality standards National priority 5: Driving collaboration and reducing fragmentation National priority 6: Ensuring an appropriately trained workforce Outcomes These resources are to be used as a contribution to support the overall delivery of NHS Englands strategic direction for sexual assault and abuse services, and in this context influence the wider health systems response to sexual violence. The funding is not being used to deliver NHS Englands specific commissioning responsibilities such as those related to Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs). The bidders will be required to identify outcomes in their application that meet the SAAS Core Priorities. We expect the general high-level outcomes to be achieved in London for the sexual violence sector: - More victims of sexual violence to report incidents of abuse - Reductions in repeat victimisation - Victims supported to cope and recover - Improved health and wellbeing - Improved access and experience of mainstream health services - Increasing links between the Havens (Londons Sexual Assault Referral Centre) and wider community services - Increased access to the criminal justice services - Reduction in the rates of attrition in cases as they progress through the criminal justice process - Improved victim satisfaction in criminal justice & health & well-being services - Survivors have increased access to other required services. - The long-term impact of sexual violence is reduced. The Voluntary Sector are well placed to meet the needs of victims and survivors of sexual assault and abuse, experience from the past 3 year grant has seen many more services users being able to access care and supported in their recovery demonstrating good value for money.