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<p>'Non-accidental injuries' may refer to a number of issues, this answer covers safeguarding children. It is essential that everyone working in the health and social care system does their part to support the vital work to safeguard vulnerable children.</p><p>The Department of Health has not issued guidance to the national health service on safeguarding children. Under the Children Act 2004, NHS bodies have a statutory duty to make arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. The Department for Education (DFES) leads for Government on safeguarding children. In March 2013, DFE published revised inter-agency statutory guidance, Working Together to Safeguard</p><p>Children. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence published a clinical guideline “When to suspect child maltreatment” in 2009.</p><p>More specifically, the Health and Social Care Information Centre are currently conducting a feasibility study on how to improve NHS data collection on female genital mutilation (FGM). This will improve information sharing for better care of those affected by FGM and will also support prevention and better safeguarding in at-risk communities.</p><p>Later this year the Department is convening a roundtable of representatives from FGM clinics, stakeholders and government departments to explore how to ensure that the collection of data on FGM within the NHS is more consistent, as well as how to improve the sharing of this data in order to better safeguard vulnerable girls.</p> |