Health and care leaders from across West Yorkshire have united to address and tackle potential barriers that people affected by trauma can experience when accessing care.
The West Yorkshire Adversity Trauma and Resilience Programme (WY ATR) is being delivered in collaboration between the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership (WY HCP) and the West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Unit (WY VRU), and aims to ensure that the West Yorkshire health service is trauma-informed and responsive system by 2030.
Chief Superintendent of the VRU Jackie Marsh highlighted the importance of the new collaboration between the health and care services, saying: “Collaboration is key to make sure that we do not add to harm and that we work in ways that mitigate the impact of where there has been harm already.”
They have plans to introduce serval new initiatives to prevent further harm and improve overall wellbeing, with a particular focus on those considered vulnerable. These include the development of the west Yorkshire Adversity, Trauma and Resilience Framework and Academy, recruiting 30 Adversity, Trauma and Resilience Fellows, and offering training to multi-agency colleagues including members of the police, schools and housing providers.
West Yorkshire Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime Alison Lowe OBE said, “While fully eradicating trauma remains unlikely, by working together we can help to strengthen community resilience, mitigate existing harm and ultimately improve lives.”
The partnership has released a series of guides and additional support resources that cover topics including trauma-informed education settings insight West Yorkshire guidance and addressing the root causes of serious violence and exploitation of young people in West Yorkshire.
Following its launch in June 2020, WY ATR now has over 300 members.
Jackie added: “It’s crucial that all our organisations and system leaders work together and that we listen to grassroots expertise to deliver the shifts in culture and practice needed to achieve our vision of ensuring the area is trauma-informed and responsive.”
