We are aware that Coventry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (CRASAC) has issued a release today.
The release states that "it has closed its waiting list to new referrals (for those aged under 13 it will close on 1 April 2024) due to a cut in funding from Coventry City Council."
The Council want to be clear that it is not cutting the service.
We have already said that we fully recognise the importance of services for people affected by sexual violence and abuse, which can have long-lasting effects on the health and well-being of individuals.
The CRASAC contract ends in June 2024 and was awarded back in 2019, based on the number of people accessing support at the time. A key aim in 2019 was to reduce the length of time people were waiting for help – and rather than falling, those numbers have risen sharply, despite additional investment to assist with pandemic recovery. The current contract has not met key performance targets and adults can currently be waiting up to 18 months to access support.
As a result, the Council has decided that, rather than renew a contract that is not addressing increasing waiting lists, we will work with various partners to address the prevention of sexual assault and rape, and assist partners in the health and care system to commission improved services for this important population
We will ensure services continue to be delivered and are currently looking at alternative ways of doing this as a priority.
CRASAC continue to offer one-to-one therapeutic support. This service is also available from qualified counsellors and psychotherapists, whether privately or through the NHS. The NHS offer support for those suffering from mental health conditions, which can be accessed via the GP.
There are a number of charities which offer mental health support including Coventry and Warwickshire Mind.
We have been working with the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (NHS-funded) which is based at the Blue Sky Centre, George Eliot Hospital, Coventry and Warwickshire Partnerships Trust, South Warwickshire Foundation Trust and the Integrated Care Board. Meetings have already taken place where CRASAC have been present and commitments were made to work together to map out the different routes into different types of support.
CRASAC also has multiple sources of funding and several other contracts. The contract with Coventry City Council only accounts for 15% of CRASAC’s annual income, and CRASAC can continue to offer its existing services outside of the Council contract as normal. CRASAC are not closing their doors.
Our aim is to help the system (including CRASAC) to develop ways of working that mean that individuals are signposted to the most appropriate service for their needs and do not have to wait for an unreasonable length of time on a waiting list. We will continue to work with CRASAC and our partners to strengthen and develop a range of options for local people. We are already working on mapping local services and looking at alternative ways of working to ensure the services CRASAC provides will still be available to anyone seeking support.
In Coventry, we have more availability of support than in many other places, however, the fact that support is hard to come by isn’t ideal and we know that this has been highlighted recently in national reports. This is a national problem that really needs a national response.