Oakwood Place
Oakwood Place is a dedicated centre for men, women and children
who have experienced sexual assault.
It brings together, for the first time in Essex, the best
specialist care available in the county under one roof.
The centre is housed in a stand-alone building on the same site
as Brentwood Community Hospital in Crescent Drive, Brentwood, but
completely separate from the hospital.
Formed from a partnership between Essex Police and the NHS across
Essex, Oakwood Place provides a sexual assault referral centre for
the county. It’s a safe and confidential specialist centre
providing the best care available in Essex including advice and
support, health screening, forensic examination and links to other
support agencies.
You can find out more
about Oakwood Place and the services it offers by watching our film
above, reading a
leaflet or taking a look at the
questions and answers below.
What is Oakwood Place?
Oakwood Place is a dedicated centre providing medical services
and support specifically for victims of sexual violence and assault
in Essex.
Where is Oakwood
Place?
Oakwood Place is a stand-alone building located on the same site as
Brentwood Community Hospital. It is completely separate from the
hospital.
Who is involved in Oakwood
Place?
Oakwood Place is formed from a partnership between Essex
Police and the NHS across Essex, led by NHS South West Essex.
Why do we need Oakwood
Place?
So we can give the best care available in Essex to anyone who has
experienced the trauma of sexual assault and violence. It will
provide a long-awaited Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) for
Essex.
What is a SARC?
A SARC is a safe and confidential specialist centre providing
services which support victims of sexual assault to minimise the
long-term emotional and physical consequences.
The Home Office and Department of Health have committed to a SARC
in every police force area by 2011. So far, there are 29 centres
open in England and Wales.
What services will be available at Oakwood
Place?
Advice and support, health screening, referral to relevant agencies
and a forensic examination service in the immediate period after an
assault.
Once immediate care and appropriate examinations have been carried
out, clients will be referred to services in their local area to
meet their ongoing needs.
Who works at the
centre?
A range of professionals who specialise in caring for victims of
sexual assault, supported by police officers trained to deal with
sexual offences.
Who is Oakwood Place for?
Men, women and children who have been subject to sexual assault in
Essex.
What are the opening times for
Oakwood Place?
The centre is between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday.
Out-of-hours (evenings, weekends and bank holidays) access to
the centre and co-ordination of services for clients
will eventually be available via a telephone
helpline.
If you have any further questions about Oakwood Place we recommend
contacting the NHS South West Essex Patients Advice and Liaison
Service (PALS) on 0800 587 9159 or by email at pals@swessex.nhs.uk