North Manchester General Hospital

Staff at North Manchester General Hospital are among frontline practitioners including GPs, school nurses, and midwives who are being taught what to do if they suspect or are told a patient has been, or is about to be, forced to marry.

Each year approximately 300 cases of forced marriage are reported to the Government's Forced Marriage Unit but many more come to the attention of the police, social care services, health, education and voluntary organisations.

Consultations with health professionals may be one of the few occasions when a victim is unsupervised by a family member. Health workers are now being advised what to look for and to encourage victims to speak out.

The guidelines are a joint initiative by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO), Home Office and the Department of Health.

Since 1999, the Government has been providing consular assistance to British and dual nationals forced into marriage overseas.

The guidelines for health workers are in addition to those established for social workers, police officers and education professionals on forced marriage. They make a clear distinction between 'arranged' and 'forced' marriages.

The guidelines refer to a number of scenarios a health professional may be confronted with and then outline what action to take and who to contact.

Public Health Minister Caroline Flint said: "Forced marriage affects children and adults as well as men and women from a wide range of communities. An interview with a health professional may be the first and only opportunity victims have to tell someone about what is happening to them.

"This new guidance will help health professionals recognise the warning signs of forced marriage, understand the danger faced by victims and respond to their needs sensitively and effectively.”

Dr Peter Carter, General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), welcomed the guidelines.

He said: "Health professionals need sound direction and effective support if they are to deliver the best possible care for vulnerable patients. We will look with interest to see how the guidelines are practically implemented and further developed."

A full set of these Guidelines is available from the FCO website: http://www.fco.gov.uk/forcedmarriage