Experts have cautioned that the decline in face-to-face GP appointments is leading to a child abuse problem.
Domestic abuse was found to be an underlying cause in 37 of the 46 most serious incidents of child abuse last year, according to researchers at the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ).
The study revealed that in 70% of those 37 cases, NHS workers failed to investigate suspicions of domestic violence, with the problem largely ascribed to treating patients remotely rather than in person.
Calling for GPs to change their approach, and for better training on how to spot signs of domestic abuse, Cristina Odone, Head of Family at the CSJ, said: ‘Face-to-face GP consultations allow for much more thorough identification of serious physical and mental issues that are much easier to hide on Zoom or over the telephone.
If the Government is serious about tackling the epidemic of domestic abuse, then face-to-face GP consultations are an essential part of its armoury.’
Failures in child protection were laid bare last year when Emma Tustin and Thomas Hughes were jailed over the death of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes. The six-year-old had been starved and poisoned with salt before dying as a result of ‘systematic brutality’.
In a separate case, Savannah Brockhill was convicted of murdering Star Hobson, the 16-month-old daughter of her ex-girlfriend Frankie Smith.
Ms Odone said GPs ‘see their patients regularly and are perfectly placed to spot the early signs of abuse, but unless we take action to boost their training, tragic cases like Arthur Labinjo-Hughes and Star Hobson will continue to be missed’.
The report, to be published this week, identifies a reluctance of GPs to ask tough questions about patients’ family lives. A YouGov poll of NHS staff who deal with patients found only half had received what they considered adequate guidance to deal with domestic violence and mental coercion.
Professor Gene Feder, from the Centre for Academic Primary Care, said: ‘It’s not that GPs don’t see domestic abuse, it’s that they don’t know what to do with disclosures.’
A government spokesperson said: ‘We want every child to be safe and protected from harm, able to grow up in a stable, loving home and to fulfil their potential.
‘All NHS staff undertake mandatory safeguarding training, which includes recognising the potential indicators of child maltreatment, to ensure they can identify those at risk and take appropriate action.’