Nexus: Free specialist service for sexual violence victims extended

Funding for the only free specialist counselling service for victims of sexual violence in Northern Ireland is to be extended for one year.

Nexus's contract with the Department of Health (DoH) was due to end on 31 March and there was no free specialist replacement service lined up.

However, the health minister confirmed to the assembly on Monday that his department's contract with Nexus for the service will be extended for 12 months.

It gets about 200 monthly referrals.

Nexus was awarded a three-year contract in April 2019 to provide the counselling service, with an option for two one-year extensions.

'Performance and operational issues'

Health minister Robin Swann said the extension "will allow proper consideration, decision and implementation of the best way forward for counselling services of this nature".

"Unfortunately, significant performance and operational issues have been identified in relation to the delivery of this contract," he said.

"I should clarify that these largely relate to efficiency and lower than expected numbers of sessions rather than the quality of the counselling that is being provided."

Robin Swann said the extension "will allow proper consideration, decision and implementation of the best way forward for counselling services of this nature"

Mr Swann said there will be "close monitoring of performance" throughout the extension.

"Whilst there may be some deep concerns about the broader delivery of the contract, equally I was not prepared to tolerate a position whereby new victims and survivors had no service at all come April," he added.

"A priority had been to ensure that clients currently in receipt of counselling services would continue to receive them after April 2024."

A welcome intervention

Nexus chief executive Joanne Barnes told BBC Radio Ulster's Evening Extra programme that the charity is "delighted for victims and survivors that there is going to be a continuation of service".

"We welcome the minister's intervention," she said.

"There's some work yet to be done to look at what a service will look like in this interim year.

"As the minister said, that's hopefully going to help map out what's needed in the future."

This includes considering the aims and objectives of the service, along with how many sessions will be available to clients.

Ms Barnes has previously said there had been some disagreement with the DoH around payment when a client does not attend a session.

"They see it has an underperformance so they're not counting them towards sessions delivered," she said.

However, Nexus counts such sessions as delivered because they are deducted from clients' total allowance of 12 sessions and they move on to the next one.

Nexus chief executive Joanne Barnes said the charity is "delighted for victims and survivors that there is going to be a continuation of service"

Long-term approach

SDLP East Derry MLA Cara Hunter welcomed the extension.

Ms Hunter submitted an urgent oral question regarding the service to Mr Swann after it was announced the Department for Health had ended its contract with Nexus without a replacement service in place.

She said: "In the days since the initial announcement we have heard from numerous victims and survivors about just how important these services have been in helping them rebuild their lives.

"Anyone who goes through the horrendous ordeal of abuse will be left with long-term impacts and I dread to think what could have happened if this support was not restored."

She emphasised the need for "a long-term approach to supporting victims of abuse that ensures people can access counselling services for free when they need them".

Vital services

Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon also welcomed the extension of the contract, adding that it is "vital that the specialist services that Nexus deliver are available to support victims"."I will continue to work with the health minister and Nexus on the need for a long-term plan to ensure specialist counselling services continue into the future," she said.

Meanwhile, the Unite union has written to Mr Swann to seek an urgent meeting due to concerns for the future employment of those who provide this service.

Unite regional equalities and women's officer Taryn Trainor said employees are "fearful for their future employment".