NHS Cheshire and Merseyside has been selected for the first phase of a national programme intended to help GP teams recognise domestic abuse and sexual violence and connect patients with specialist support.
The organisation is one of 12 integrated care boards receiving first-phase funding for Steps to Safety. Its 7 October 2026 announcement says the initial work will focus on staff training and stronger links with specialist services.
The announcement does not list participating practices or give a Cheshire start date. Selection for the programme should therefore not be read as confirmation that every local surgery is already providing the new referral service.
What the programme is designed to change
Steps to Safety is intended to make it easier for people experiencing abuse to reach appropriate help through general practice. GP staff will receive support to recognise concerns, respond sensitively and connect patients with services in their communities.
The government’s national programme announcement describes specialist support workers working across groups of practices. Its stated ambition is coverage across England by 2029.
A further funding announcement on 30 September allocated up to £34.4 million over three years to the first phase across 12 integrated care boards. That is a national allocation, not an amount awarded solely to Cheshire and Merseyside.
The local NHS says it will build on partnerships between health services, councils, voluntary organisations and specialist providers. Details of which practices take part and when will determine how the programme becomes available to patients locally.
Support already available in Cheshire
People who need help can use existing services while the new programme is developed. In Cheshire East, the Domestic Abuse Family Safety Unit can be contacted on 0300 123 5101, Monday to Friday, 9am to 4.30pm. Its support information also gives a text option on 07777 941464.
In Cheshire West and Chester, the council’s domestic abuse support service can be reached on 0300 123 7047, option 2, during office hours.
The National Domestic Abuse Helpline is available on 0808 2000 247, free and confidential, 24 hours a day. Call 999 if someone is in immediate danger.
Featured photograph: Illustrative photograph of a stethoscope. Photo: Jacek Halicki / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Retouched by the photographer. 2023 Stetoskop / CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized to 1200 pixels wide and compressed with TinyPNG.