Healthcare Improvement Scotland is inviting organisations and individuals to share their views on new draft Domestic Homicide and Suicide Review (DHSR) standards.

Domestic Homicide and Suicide Reviews are intended to help identify learning following domestic abuse-related deaths, and consider where services, systems, and practice could be improved to help prevent similar deaths in the future. The draft standards have been developed following the Criminal Justice Modernisation and Abusive Domestic Behaviour Reviews (Scotland) Act 2025 and the Scottish Government’s statutory guidance.

What Do the Standards Cover?

The draft standards look at key areas of the review process, including:

leadership and governance
support for bereaved people, including children and young people
how reviews should be carried out
training and support for people involved in reviews
how learning from reviews is shared and used to support improvement and prevention

Have Your Say

Healthcare Improvement Scotland is now looking for feedback on the draft standards through an online consultation. Third sector groups and organisations, and others with an interest in domestic abuse, suicide prevention, bereavement, safeguarding, or related services, are encouraged to share their views and responses.

The closing date for responses is 5pm on Thursday 5 November 2026.

To submit your response, please visit the DHSR standards survey page.