Final MS Domestic Violence and Abuse Toolkit set for launch

The Multiple Sclerosis Domestic Violence and Abuse Research (MSDVA) Initiative are set to launch their final resource at the MS Trust Annual Conference in March 2026.

The MSDVA toolkit was developed from research conducted by teams at two British Universities. Between 2022 and 2025, Dr Kharis Hutchison completed her PhD study at the University of Leeds, exploring the experiences and support needs of women with MS who had faced domestic violence and abuse (DVA). At the same time, Sue Britt was conducting her PhD study in Nottingham, speaking to healthcare professionals (HCPs) about their role in addressing DVA in people with MS.

The MSDVA toolkit aims to bring together the key messages from the two studies, provide an informational resource for healthcare professionals working in MS care, and drive practice forward in this important area. It has been developed and refined by the work of the MSDVA Research Initiative, formed in 2023 to support the project as it evolved. The toolkit has been reviewed by professionals and NHS safeguarding teams and incorporates evidence from pilot implementations at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust.

Unique opportunity to address DVA

The final resource aims to increase awareness and understanding of DVA and its impact on people with MS. It recognises that MS care presents a unique opportunity to address DVA due to frequent and sustained interactions between patients and healthcare providers. These interactions foster trust and create safe spaces for patients to disclose abuse and seek support. The MSDVA toolkit contains guidance as to how professionals can safely and sensitively identify signs of abuse during routine clinical interactions, furthermore how they can respond appropriately to disclosures using trauma-informed approaches.

The MSDVA toolkit and its accompanying research was funded by the Horne Family Charitable Fund, and their generous support enabled the Research Initiative to explore this under-researched but critically important area. Most recently, the team at the University of Leeds has received further support from the Leeds Future Impact Acceleration (IAA) Fund. This funding will be used to enhance the design and visual impact of the toolkit and to promote and evaluate how it can be used in the MS practice setting. These next stages will be launched and presented at the forthcoming MS Trust Annual Conference in March 2026. As a leading MS charity, MS Trust provides training and research expertise from every angle, bringing together support and information to both people living with MS and the healthcare professionals caring for them. Their collaboration and partnership with the MSDVA toolkit project were instrumental in securing the Leeds IAA funding. Our research fellow Sue Britt will be promoting the toolkit at a stand at the conference as well as speaking to MS HCPs about how they can be involved in the implementation stages to follow.