Rape victims 'need more NHS support'

The Stern review also suggests that responsibility for forensic medical services should be transferred from the police to the NHS, with doctors and nurses being given advanced training in helping victims of sexual assault.

In some places there are failures in the implementation of policies, so much of my review focuses on turning policy into action on the ground

Baroness Stern added that including forensic physicians in the new NHS clinical governance framework, in addition to recruiting more staff to the role, would vastly improve the levels of service currently offered.

Other suggestions in the report include creating independent sexual violence advisers to act as a link between victims and police, prosecutors and charity groups and an annual governmental report to Parliament on the progress made in treating victims of sexual abuse.

“Much has changed for the better for rape victims in recent years,” said Baroness Stern. “But in some places there are failures in the implementation of policies, so much of my review focuses on turning policy into action on the ground.

“During my review I came across many examples of the very best practice - what we need is for this best practice to be found everywhere so that every man or woman who reports a rape is properly supported.”