Robert Buckland MP has been reaching out to Swindon Pharmacies to ask them to join the new Government Support Scheme, Action Needed Immediately (ANI).
Developed by the Home Office for victims of domestic abuse to signal that they need urgent help. All they need to do is ask for ANI to a member of staff inside a chemist.
This scheme is even more important during lockdown and throughout covid restrictions as domestic abuse cases have risen here in Swindon and elsewhere in the UK.
The number of people needing help from Swindon Domestic Abuse Support Service (SDASS) during the first lockdown increased by 41% compared to the same period, April 1st – November 30th, in 2019 and currently, 22 vulnerable women and their families are housed at the emergency refuge.
A local pharmacy may be the only place that somebody suffering from abuse can get to and seek help.
Further details about the scheme as well as training information and promotional materials for pharmacies can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ask-for-ani-domestic-abuse-codeword-scheme-pharmacy-materials
