Longford nurse wins award for introduction of forensic photography to sexual assault unit

Longford’s Catherine Marsh, National Nursing and Midwifery Fellow with the Spark Innovation Programme/Forensic Nurse Examiner, Sexual Assault Treatment Unit, Rotunda Hospital, Dublin 1 (HSE Dublin Midlands Health region), has picked up an award for innovative solutions to healthcare challenges and she was recognised at the annual HSE Spark Summit in Dublin.

Catherine Marsh was awarded the Office of the Nursing and Midwifery Services Director Award for Best Nursing & Midwifery Led Project, for her unit’s project, “A Trauma-Informed Approach to Forensic Photography.”

The event celebrates the creativity and ingenuity of frontline healthcare professionals, bringing together international experts, policymakers, and local innovators to explore latest advancements in healthcare innovation.

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The HSE Spark Award winners show just some of the ways that using existing resources in different ways, can massively improve processes and reduce pressure on healthcare professionals.

‘A Trauma-Informed Approach to Forensic Photography’ saw nurses at the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit (SATU) at the Rotunda Hospital introduce Forensic photography into the Unit to reduce examination duration and strengthen the quality of forensic evidence. This replaces the traditional forensic approach of written and diagram-based methods, with photography taken by An Garda Síochána which can be time-consuming and emotionally distressing.

Early results show reduced stress for patients, improved workflow for staff, and enhanced collaboration with An Garda Síochána. The new approach also has strong potential to be used on a national basis.

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Speaking at the summit, Catherine Marsh said: “Prior to our pilot programme, patients presenting with physical injuries following a sexual assault were advised to have photographs taken at a Garda station, if the Garda photography team were not available to attend the unit. At Rotunda SATU, we've piloted this process change by moving photographic documentation into the healthcare setting, allowing trained forensic examiners to sensitively take these images at the time of examination. This shift ensures a compassionate, trauma-informed, and patient-centred approach.”

Catherine added, “HSE Spark has been so supportive of this project. They share our goal of enacting positive change for all patients. It is empowering and inspirational to see so many projects today that share that same goal and are making a difference on the ground. The impact and value of each and every one of these projects cannot be understated.”

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