Nurses and midwives are being invited to take a new course aimed to help spot sexual abuse in children and adults, reports nursingtimes.net.

The Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine, at the University of Ulster is starting the initiative which will enable health professionals to take part in an e-learning course. 

The course itself is split into two parts - the first will cover aspects of medical law like writing statements and giving advice and the second will cover consent, confidentiality, examinations and anatomy.

The initiative was first aimed at doctors preparing for forensic physician roles but health professionals from all sectors have been invited to apply. Those in nurse manager jobs should encourage their staff to take the course which should increase the quality of care given by nurses and midwives.

Ian Wall, Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine president, hailed the course and its benefits, stating: "Education and training have a crucial role to play in raising the bar when it comes to spotting the signs of sexual abuse in adults and children.

Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre former chief executive, Jim Gamble, said to nursingtimes.net: "Health professionals owe it to their patients to improve their skills in recognising abuse."

The Government's public health minister Anne Milton supported the initiative, telling belfasttelegraph.co.uk: "For many victims, doctors and nurses are the first of only person they can turn to."