Table 4 b: Overview of Theme 3, Subtheme B, with representative quotes

Subtheme B

Managing survivors’ mental health and substance misuse issues

Survivors arriving at the center with mental health and substance issues impact SARC service provision. Staff face challenges engaging with survivors, dealing with overall well-being issues, and feeling isolated from other stakeholders.

‘So, we have people who are um addicted alcohol or drugs and its actually assessing them whether they have capacity to go through with the examination or whether we delay slightly, we see them and discuss the different options.’ (SARC manager)

‘There have been occasions whereas well where a victim has gotten aggressive and threatened to assault a member of the staff there’s people with quite serious mental health issues um yeah and if from things like you know if a client comes in as a self-referral, they haven’t got police with them, we tend you know like kick off or something we haven’t got back up from the police.’ (Crisis Worker)

‘I suppose if there still under the influence of any alcohol or drugs, it can be quite difficult to you know get a rapport with someone.’ (Crisis Worker)