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<p>We recognise the importance of tackling domestic abuse. General practitioners (GPs)
can have an important role in supporting victims, including by providing evidence
to enable them to access services. As providing evidence for victims of domestic abuse
is not a contractual obligation for GPs they are able to charge, though not all will.
GP provision of evidence was discussed as part of the 2019/20 GP contract negotiations
and work is ongoing to improve the process.</p><p>Charges for provision of evidence
of domestic abuse are not a specific requirement of the contractual relationship between
GPs and the National Health Service. The Ministry of Justice and the General Practitioners
Council are currently working together to clarify and improve the process for GPs
and applicants in relation to evidence of domestic violence for legal aid applications.</p><p>The
Government is absolutely clear that victims of domestic violence must have access
to the help that they need, including access to legal aid. In January 2018 we made
changes to legislation which introduced new forms of evidence, expanded the scope
of existing evidence and completely removed the time limit from all forms of evidence
for domestic violence. These changes aimed to make it easier for victims, or those
at risk, of domestic violence to obtain and provide the evidence required to access
legal aid, and reduce the risk of genuine victims not being able to obtain the required
evidence.</p><p>These changes included broadening the categories of health professionals
that can provide evidence to reduce the reliance on letters from GPs. Medical practitioners
are able to confirm injuries or conditions consistent with domestic violence without
suggesting that abuse is solely physical.</p>
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