We are all committed to trying new approaches to tackling violence in our communities. Navigator is a project we run jointly with support from the SVRU and a range of NHS partners. Navigators are support workers, many with lived experience, who connect with patients who come into the Emergency Department and work with them in the community on discharge from hospital to connect them with services that can support them to make changes in their lives. 

Navigators provide psychosocial support for a wide range of issues; these include violence, alcohol or drug issues, mental health issues, domestic abuse, homelessness, social isolation and debt issues, and sadly often a combination of these things. Working with the individual they help them to connect them with services, both statutory and third sector that will help them to stabilise their lives and to move forward. 

Each intervention is unique, each package of care tailored to an individual’s specific needs. Navigator embodies the NHS ethos of patient centred care.