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Domestic violence hotline 1800 RESPECT flooded with complaints after system changed
By Jenna Price
Australia's highest profile sexual assault and domestic violence hotline has experienced a dramatic spike in complaints about its service since its restructure in August.
Complaints about 1800 RESPECT skyrocketed after the implementation of a triage service in which first responders judge whether callers should be directed to an information website, a trauma counsellor or state-based family violence services already overloaded with demand. Previously, every call was answered by an experienced trauma counsellor.
The switch to a triage system came as part of a suite of restructurings to hotlines for health services by the Coalition government in August.Credit: Luca Pierro/Stocksy
1800 RESPECT, also known as National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service, is now operated by Medibank Health Solutions, part of Medibank Private.
Rape and Domestic Violence Services Australia (R&DVSA) previously answered all calls.
It has already fielded more than 60 complaints in the three months ending November, compared with 79 over the previous two years, according to information obtained by Fairfax Media.
R&DVSA has now been forced to allocate a specific person to compile complaints and there are claims from within the organisation that the number of complaints yet to be processed is well over 200.
The switch to a triage system came as part of a suite of restructurings to hotlines for health services by the Coalition government in August.
Medibank Health Solutions has held the contract since 2010 for providing the phone hotline but was required to subcontract the operations to R&DVSA until August this year.
Now MHS first responders answer calls. Those first responders are responsible for most of the complaints.
There has been no evaluation of the service since the change in August. MHS's contract for the service has been extended to 2018.
According to a spokesperson for the Department of Social Services, MHS had received only five complaints and only one of those was substantiated.
A spokesperson for MHS confirmed it had received only a small number of complaints. Most complaints had been made to R&DVSA as the 1800 RESPECT hotline was still strongly identified with that organisation.
At the annual general meeting of R&DVSA in Sydney last week, senior managers revealed some callers to the hotline had been transferred multiple times or had received inappropriate advice.
One complainant said she found the process of being transferred from the first responder distressing and unsettling. She had disclosed her experience of violence for 10 to 15 minutes and was then transferred. First responders made the decision about where to transfer callers. The complainant then needed more time following the transfer process but the call dropped out.
A number of complaints about having to repeat disclosure had also been received by R&DVSA.
A spokesperson for MHS said: "As with all services, 1800 RESPECT receives complaints from time to time. We have a robust and responsive complaints management process in place, which is a key part of our ongoing quality improvement process."
But the department did reveal it had received complaints from callers who were not put through to trauma specialists as requested.
"While the department is aware of a small number of cases of this happening in the early stages of the implementation of the first response triage model, these have been addressed by MHS and R&DVSA. While the implementation of major reforms will always involve some issues during early stages, MHS has addressed any complaints that have emerged and improved systems to reduce the chance of issues emerging in the future."
But Associate Professor Katherine Brown, a sexual assault medical specialist at the University of Sydney, said: "If you make a report to someone and they are not being particularly supportive, that may retraumatise the person who has experienced the assault."
That initial response had a direct impact on the outcome for the victim, she added.
"If you don't receive appropriate support initially, you may never - or you may take a long time to - seek advice and you may have preventable future mental health, alcohol and other drug problems."
MHS said all first responders had counselling experience but did not confirm if they were all trained trauma specialists.
However, a spokesperson said all first responders received some trauma training.