Sexual Abuse Assessment & Treatment Services (SAATS)

On this page

  1. Service philosophy
  2. Who may hold a SAATS contract?
  3. Client eligibility criteria
  4. The services
  5. Medical consultation liaison (MCL) role
  6. More information

Service philosophy

Treatment provided through SAATS is for victims of suspected or alleged sexual abuse or assault regardless of age or gender. ACC purchases and administers this service on behalf of the NZ Police and the Ministry of Health.

This service aims to:

  • provide expert medical treatment
  • provide early identification
  • manage any immediate physical and emotional trauma
  • address the immediate safety of victims
  • ensure that forensic and medico-legal requirements are met.

Who may hold a SAATS contract?

DHBs are vendors for SAATS, however they are able to subcontract all or part of the service. To see a full list of the contracted vendors available, see SAATS contracted vendors – 1 October 2010 (PDF39K).

Qualifications of clinicians

Doctors will have:

  • Attended DSAC training
  • DSAC accreditation or be working towards DSAC accreditation or have been approved by ACC as having undertaken relevant training.

Nurses will have:

  • Gained experience in the assessment, treatment, and management of sexual abuse
  • Attended DSAC training.

To understand doctors accreditation further please contact Doctors for Sexual Abuse Care on (09)3761422 or view their web page www.dsac.org.nz.

Client eligibility criteria

All children, adolescents and adults, of both genders, who allege sexual abuse or assault, whether it is recent or historical, are eligible to receive SAATS.

Clients may enter this service through self or family referral or referral from any other source. Likely referrers are:

  • Crisis Support Agencies
  • NZ Police
  • emergency departments
  • primary care (including after hours)
  • Child, Youth and Family Services (CYFs)
  • other health professionals who may be the initial point of contact for the client.

A referral letter is not required.

The services

Service requirements

SAATS is a 24 hour, 7 days a week service consisting of the following components:

  • timely medical triage by a medical specialist or nurse with training in sexual abuse care
  • expert medical assessment, sexual health advice and treatment that meets health, injury and forensic needs
  • referral to, and coordination with, other services in a timely manner such as NZ Police, CYFs, and Crisis Support Agencies
  • provision for follow-up treatment
  • treatment that is provided in an environment suitable for the client and their supporters, and one that meets forensic requirements.

Service exclusions

The services excluded from SAATS are (without limitation):

  • assessment and treatment of sexual offenders
  • health services for conditions not caused by or exacerbated by sexual abuse, eg termination of pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
  • counselling services or treatment for ongoing mental injury
  • provision of expert evidence in statutory proceedings, writing depositions statements and forensic report writing.

Facilities

All facilities must be accessible to clients requiring them regardless of age, or physical or mental impairment. The premises will:

  • be culturally and physically safe and secure allowing medical access to the premises 24/7
  • provide access to toilet and shower facilities
  • provide privacy
  • have adequate space for support people
  • be suitable for the collection of forensic samples according to current best practice and NZ Police policy.

Medical consultation liaison (MCL) role

Medical Consultation Liaison is funded to three geographical regions – Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch to provide MCL services nationally. This service is accessible to any GPs, ED doctors, A&M doctors, EDU nurses, and crisis support agencies, etc nationally. It is not region dependant.

Who the MCL advises

Details of advice offered

Expert medical/forensic advice to another medical clinician about their patient

Advice may influence:

  • Referral mechanisms for children, adolescents, or adults
  • Whether a client is managed by the caller or referred to another service
  • Pharmacological management and Environmental Science and Research (ESR) issues
  • Management of historical presentations
  • Treatment options available for clients, ie STI management.

Peer review/advice to another DSAC clinician supporting clinical decision-making
  • Give expert clinical advice regarding medical and forensic management issues
  • Case discussion with other DSAC doctors
  • Support doctors to undertake examinations in remote areas (including at the time of the examination where able)
  • Peer review of depositions, where able
  • High profile case support
  • Sharing new evidence on topics such as date rape drugs where specifically related to a client.

Co-provider query
  • Local or national support, eg police, ESR, drug and alcohol services, etc about general issues that may need to be considered such as date rape drugs as they relate to a specific client for whom they are providing services
  • General query regarding a specific case (not your case) where technical medical advice is sought.

To access the MCL services with adults and adolescents, please contact one of the providers below:

To access specialist MCL services for paediatrics please contact:

More information

Operational guidelines are available at: www.acc.co.nz > For Providers > Contracts and performance > Operational guidelines.

Last updated: 1 October 2010