{"id":17840,"date":"2024-01-09T09:57:04","date_gmt":"2024-01-09T09:57:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/apps.nhslothian.scot\/refhelp\/?page_id=17840"},"modified":"2024-09-03T12:58:53","modified_gmt":"2024-09-03T11:58:53","slug":"sexual-assault-response-coordination-service","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/apps.nhslothian.scot\/refhelp\/guidelines\/sexualreprohealth\/sexual-assault-services\/sexual-assault-response-coordination-service\/","title":{"rendered":"Sexual Assault Response Coordination Service"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A Sexual Assault Response Coordination Service (SARCS<\/strong>) is available in every health board. It is there to help people aged 16 or over disclosing rape or sexual assault. \u00a0If an assault has occurred in the previous 7 days, a forensic medical examination may be appropriate to collect evidence that could help police investigations.\u00a0 Forensic samples are taken by a trained Sexual Offence Examiner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please see the SARCS RefBite<\/a>\u00a05-minute film for a full description of the service \u2013 and how to support our patients, and consider the impact on ourselves as clinicians, too. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People can access SARCS testing and support without police involvement too \u2013 see ‘how to refer’ below for further detail. Where the person does not wish police involvement, SARCS will collect certain forensic evidence and keep it for 26 months, in the case of police involvement at a later date. If the police are not contacted, the evidence will be destroyed after 26 months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The service offers immediate healthcare needs, including STI, BBV and pregnancy testing, emergency contraception, HIV prophylaxis (PEPSE), Hepatitis B vaccine and psychological risk assessment. On-going support is offered from the SARCS gender-based violence (GBV) nurse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please advise the person to try and avoid washing and not to discard items of clothing worn at the time. If the assault involved the person\u2019s oral cavity, if possible, they should avoid eating, drinking, smoking, chewing gum or brushing teeth prior to being seen. They should try and keep any used toilet paper or sanitary products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please see Primary Care Management for additional guidance on other approaches to help and what should not <\/em>be done prior to referral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Patients can find out more about SARCS services on NHS Inform: www.nhsinform.scot\/sarcs<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Time frame<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

People who are self-referring can access support for their immediate healthcare needs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n