Over the course of this week (7-12 October) the BBC has been extensively covering our partnership work with Barts NHS Trust at The Royal London Hospital with young patients who have been admitted to its Major Trauma Centre as victims of serious violence typically knife crime.

According to figures obtained by the BBC, more than 3,000 people in London have been injured by a knife this year and a further 67 people have sadly lost their lives. Behind each tragedy is an individual with loved ones around them who are often the unseen victims. In our experience, most perpetrators of knife crime have also previously been victims themselves. This is why care, compassion and support for all those involved in the fall out is so crucial.

The partnership work with Royal London, which started in 2015, has cut re-admission rates of young serious violence victims from 45% to 1%. St Giles works alongside clinical staff to offer support and guidance to address the underlying issues which led to the young person becoming a victim and prevent future violence. Sadly, many are simply young people in the wrong place at the wrong time but the effects of a seriously violent attack leave them traumatised and in need of follow up support.

The BBC team have spoken extensively to Trauma Surgeon Martin Griffiths who instigated the hospital’s partnership with St Giles. They have also filmed with St Giles Trauma Caseworkers Roisin Neville and Laveen Smith. The team describe the distress they feel at the growing levels of serious violence amongst young people and the effects of this both now and in the future if the problem is left unaddressed.
The partnership work with Barts NHS Trust will be featured on 6 o’clock and 10 o’clock BBC News bulletins this week. Read BBC presenter Clive Myrie’s full online piece here https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-49774459

There are also films on BBC iPlayer here and here. One young man in these films,supported by Laveen, describes the trauma he is now experiencing due to the unprovoked attack on his life he suffered and survived as he made his way home from football practice one evening.

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