Learning from domestic homicide reviews

September 8, 2021

A domestic homicide review (DHR) is a multi-agency review of the circumstances in which the death of a person aged 16 or over has or appears to have, resulted from violence, abuse or neglect by a person to whom they were related or with whom they were, or had been, in an intimate personal relationship, or a member of the same household as themselves. Since 13 April 2011 there has been a statutory requirement for local areas to conduct a DHR following a domestic homicide that meets the criteria.

DHRs provide information on the nature of domestic homicide, the context in which it occurs and, most importantly, in the lessons that can be learned from the tragic event. This analysis sets out what we know about domestic homicide and draws out common themes and trends and identifies learning from DHRs.

The Trust has recently been part of a review (DHR 13). This tragic event has enabled us to reflect on the learning identified and to consider how this can be used to deliver improvements to practice within our Trust enabling us to safeguard victims.

Below are learning briefing papers from DHR 13:

• Child to Parent Violence and Abuse
• Right of a patients ‘Nearest Relative’ to request a Mental Health Act Assessment from a local Approved Mental Health Professional