Guidance provided to HCJ staff when treating patients who have experienced non-fatal strangulation

​​Request 733387673

I am writing to request the following information under the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law

Please provide a copy of any current policy or clinical guidance relating to the management of patients who have experienced non-fatal strangulation at Jersey General Hospital.

Can you confirm whether Jersey General Hospital follows the Institute for Addressing Strangulation (IFAS) guidance or any other nationally or internationally recognised clinical framework in relation to non-fatal strangulation?

What is the typical cost of a CT angiogram for a patient who has been a victim of non-fatal strangulation, either to the Health Service or the patient (if applicable)?

What specific training, if any, have radiologists working at Jersey General Hospital received in relation to recognising and diagnosing injuries resulting from non-fatal strangulation?

Response

There is currently no ratified policy, clinical guideline or process for Health and Care Jersey specific to the management of those who have experienced non-fatal strangulation.

The current IFAS guideline has not been adopted across the NHS nor is it automatically transferable to Jersey, and there is no equivalent National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) best practice guideline. Discussions are ongoing on the creation of a modified local version.

The Minister for Health and Social Services has accepted Recommendation 46.2 of the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Taskforce Report, published in November 2023:

A self-referral pathway should be made available to victim-survivors of non-fatal strangulation to see a forensic physician.

A funding proposal for the set-up of a medical pathway is currently being drafted, and the IFAS guidance is being considered in its’ creation.

The VAWG Taskforce Report made 77 recommendations, 58 of which were directed at the Government of Jersey; the Chief Minister accepted all of these. As per the VAWG Annual Progress Report of June 2025, the implementation of Recommendation 46 is ‘in progress’:

​R-88-2025.pdf​

The cost of a CT angiogram of the neck in this context would be the same as for any other clinical indication; there is no separate or specific tariff for scans requested due to suspected non-fatal strangulation. Total costs can vary depending on several factors, including whether the scan is performed during or outside of standard working hours, the urgency of the clinical situation, and any additional imaging or resources that may be required.

Public patients are only charged for diagnostic imaging when referred via their GP.

Radiology training within the U.K. follows the curriculum set by the Royal College of Radiologists (RCR). All consultants working for Health and Care Jersey have completed the Fellowship of the Royal College of Radiologists (FRCR), which includes training in trauma radiology and head and neck imaging as part of both core and sub-specialty competencies.

Radiologists at Jersey General Hospital are trained and experienced in reporting trauma imaging across a range of clinical scenarios. They are familiar with the relevant radiological investigations and findings associated with such injuries.

As with all U.K.-licensed doctors, Jersey’s radiologists undergo annual appraisal and are fully revalidated in line with General Medical Council (GMC) requirements. The Radiology Department is also assessed annually by an external body and has successfully passed inspection each year for over 10 years.