Specialist nurses trained to examine survivors of sexual assault
will be available across Scotland as part of a national roll-out.
Nurse Sexual Offence Examiners (NSOEs) support and examine
survivors of sexual violence, providing trauma-informed care and
gathering forensic evidence.
Following a test of change backed by over £700,000 of Scottish
Government funding, the Lord Advocate approved the national
roll-out of the role in March 2026
The change means specialist nurses will now be able to undertake
forensic medical examinations and give opinion evidence in court,
subject to continuing review of progress.
The expansion will particularly benefit islands and rural areas,
which have previously relied on private forensic doctor services
to deliver this care.
Public Health Minister said:
"It is crucial for any survivor of rape or another sexual offence
to be able to access the support they need, in the way they need
it.
"The hours after a sexual assault are some of the most difficult
a survivor will face. Expanding this specialist nursing role
means more survivors will be cared for by compassionate, highly
trained professionals. It also means these specialist nurses will
be able to give opinion evidence in court.
"This is a significant milestone for Sexual Assault Response
Coordination Services throughout Scotland, and I want to thank
everyone involved for their dedication and work to make this
possible."
Sexual Assault Response Coordination Service (SARCS) Network
Patient Advocate Kirsty Arnaud said:
Disclosing sexual assault is one of the hardest things a person
can do. It takes a considerable amount of courage and strength to
attend a SARCS.
Every survivor who has taken that step deserves timely,
compassionate and trauma-informed care. This includes being able
to exercise their right to request the preferred sex of the
examiner.
The quality of care a survivor receives post-assault can
determine their future mental and physical wellbeing. More
survivors should have access to the passionate and dedicated
nurses I have been so fortunate to have met during my time as the
lived-experience representative for the SARCS Network.
The role of Nurse SOEs will further enhance this access across
SARCS in Scotland. This development reflects the ways the SARCS
Network is strengthening its commitment to delivering
high-quality support to survivors across Scotland.
Background
This change will also mean people will be able to exercise their
right to be examined by someone of their chosen sex.
A Sexual Assault Response Coordination Service (SARCS) is
available in every health board area, providing healthcare and
forensic medical examination services for people in the days
following an assault, in line with the Forensic Medical Services
(Victims of Sexual Offences) (Scotland) Act 2021.
Implementation of the national roll-out will be incremental, as
health boards integrate Nurse Sexual Offence Examiners into their
workforce and additional nurses complete the required training
through the Postgraduate Advanced Forensic Practice course at
Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh (QMU) and ongoing Forensic
Skills Labs, both funded by the Scottish Government.
