Developing Quality Standards for Male Survivors
Providers and Commissioners Meeting
Yesterday, Lime Culture CIC hosted two research engagement events, the first with providers of services for survivors and the second with commissioners of these services, as part of the male service standards project.
Stephanie Reardon, Joint Chief Executive of LimeCulture CIC, opened the day by welcoming all and introducing the session agenda. This was followed by Duncan Craig, Chief Executive of Survivors Manchesterand one of the founders of the Male Survivors Partnership, giving an overview of the history of MSP and explaining the governance arrangements of this particular project.
The first session, which was with providers of specialist sexual assault and abuse services, was facilitated by Stephanie, with input from LimeCulture’s Project Manager, Tom Leavesley, and Programme Manager, Becky Dewey-York.
Delegates in the session included MENding, Safeline, RASA, Family Matters, Survivors Manchester, Sunderland Counselling Service, East Kent Rape Crisis Centre, Aylesbury Vale Rape Crisis, Galop
Alongside Stephanie Reardon asking questions and gathering oppinion, those present discussed, amongst other things:
- The importance of ensuring male survivors get the higest quality of care and support
- What quality looks like for boys and men?
- The need for services to understand the difference in working with males, than working with females
- The worry that standards can become a tick box or they can be too much for a service to undertake
- The desire for there to be more opprtunities for men and boys to get help across the UK
In the afternoon, we were honoured to sit with key representatives from NHS England and Police and Crime Commissioners from such areas as Sussex, Essex , Lincolnshire , Thames Valley , Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire, Hertfordshire, West Yorkshire and Surrey. This time, discussions were had themed as being about:
- Governance
- Partnership working
- Not stifling innovation
- Benchmarking
- Responsibility of commissioning versus providing services
Both session were hugely important and Lime Culture and Duncan Craig, on behalf of the Male Survivors Partnership thanked all involved for committing to create change and make the UK a better place for male survivors.