RQIA Independent Review of The McDermott Brothers' Case

needs of survivors of sexual abuse. Some of the survivors told RQIA
that they had accessed this service.
7.4.8 The WHSCT has a recurring contract with NEXUS for service provision
for counselling and related services. In the current financial year,
2010-11, in response to a request from NEXUS that it was
experiencing increased referrals and waiting times, the WHSCT
provided NEXUS with additional funding for service provision. RQIA
has been advised that a significant proportion of the increased number
of referrals were from survivors in the Donagh community.
7.4.9 With the support of the DHSSPS Sexual Violence Unit, the WHSCT
has also been able to provide, over the past three years, additional
funding to NEXUS. NEXUS has advised the WHSCT that it had also
received extra funding from the Fermanagh District Partnership, of
which the WHSCT is a member, which has enabled NEXUS to employ
a dedicated part-time worker for the Donagh area.
7.4.10 Further information supplied by the WHSCT from NEXUS identified that
clients connected with the Donagh case had availed of services from
2008. Two survivors had attended before they had reported abuse to
the police. NEXUS advised the WHSCT that up to 15 clients
connected with the case had availed of their services. NEXUS
currently has a waiting list for their services.
7.4.11 NEXUS has advised the WHSCT that it has attended community
meetings in Donagh, in a supportive role.
7.4.12 The WHSCT informed RQIA that it had put in place a triage service in
response to the Donagh community's concerns. Mental health services
identified a number of key individuals who were made available to
respond to additional referrals and would refer onwards to appropriate
WHSCT or voluntary services, depending on the severity of trauma
symptoms.
7.4.13 RQIA was advised by some of the survivors that they had sought
support and counselling from NEXUS. One stated that the services
they received were good, but felt that the referral was self generated
and that information and adequate signposting to the service was not
made available for the survivors or the local community. There was
criticism that the course of therapy offered by NEXUS only lasted for a
period of six weeks. This was perceived as too short, given the trauma
that a number of survivors had experienced.
Communication
7.4.14 RQIA found that, in general, the survivors who met the team described
a negative perception of their experience of communication from the
WHSCT. Some survivors stated that the WHSCT had made no
proactive contact with them to ascertain whether they required care
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