A severe shortage of fully trained medical experts is letting down rape victims, claims the BMA.
The BMA in Wales has highlighted the lack of forensic medical examiners (FMEs) in the UK who help in suspected cases of rape and have called for a change to the system so that all forensic services are provided through the NHS.
A forensic medical examiner provides custodial healthcare and forensic assessment at the request of the police to people detained in police custody, as well as to victims and witnesses of crime. Their evidence gathering, especially with victims of rape and child sexual abuse, can be crucial in court cases.
The BMA, however, has raised concerns about the patchy provision of fully trained sexual offence examiners across the UK who contributes to a reduction in rape conviction rates.
Welsh BMA secretary, Dr Richard Lewis, who holds a postgraduate qualification in forensic and legal medicine and is a practising GP in Maesteg, said:
“We know that conviction rates for rape in this country are pitifully low.
“Around 120,000 rapes take place each year in England and Wales and yet last year saw only 2,000 convictions. That’s just one conviction for every sixty rapes reported to the police.
“Of course, conviction rates are not the quintessential element of an effective rape strategy - but these figures are shocking, and there is no hiding from that fact”.
There was an insufficient number of forensic physicians, he added, who had the necessary skills, which meant variation in provision across the UK and in some places it was not always possible to provide doctors with sufficient experience or suitability for the task.
This meant victims of crime were being let down and guilty people were “walking free”.
Libby Jones of New Pathways, an organisation that provides dedicated support for rape victims in Wales, said: “We know there is a postcode lottery for victims of rape in Wales.
“There is a lot that needs to be done to put things right and it needs a multi-agency effort to do so – I am glad that the BMA is supporting a positive and practical way for forensic medical examiners to play their part.”
Currently police forces can decide themselves how forensic medical services are provided in their area i.e. by NHS, private organisations, or individual clinicians.
Dr Lewis said: “We know that there is no quick fix to increasing conviction rates largely due to the differences in every individual case brought forward, but there are positive measures that can be taken – one of the most important would be looking to provide all forensic services through the NHS.
“This has the potential to develop an all-Wales service backed by universal standards, protocols and standards of training - with a recognised and desirable career structure that would support doctors and other health professional committed to this important clinical area.”