Confidentiality and Information Sharing When Dealing with Adult Strangulation Patients

Strangulation is common in interpersonal violence such as domestic abuse, rape and sexual assault. There is increasing awareness of the health dangers, such as neck injury, stroke, hypoxic brain injury, associated with strangulation.

There is also evidence that victims of non-fatal strangulation (NFS) in the context of domestic abuse, are at increased risk of becoming a victim of domestic homicide. As awareness of these risks has increased, the Institute for Addressing Strangulation (IFAS) has had numerous enquiries asking for advice around the duties of health professionals to report/share information of cases of non-fatal strangulation, with concerns around where the balance of patient confidentiality, consent and safeguarding lie.

This document aims to assist clinicians in making decisions about information sharing/safeguarding referrals when dealing with adult patients who either give a history of, or are suspected to have experienced, strangulation. These can be complex and challenging situations where patient confidentiality must be balanced with protecting those at risk of serious harm.

Download the adult strangulation patients guidance here