Updated 18 December 2025
We carried out an announced on-site assessment on 14 January 2026.
Herts Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) offers medical, practical and emotional support to adults, young people and children who have experienced sexual assault including rape. The centre is staffed by forensically trained clinicians and crisis workers.
The SARC is managed by Mountain Healthcare Limited and is commissioned by 7 Force Commercial Services, alongside NHS England. An acute paediatric service is operated regionally, from different SARC locations across the area.
The service operates 365 days a year between the hours of 9am and 9pm; outside of these times there is a help and advice line for all patients available via Mountain Healthcare’s patients call services centre.
During the inspection we spoke with the associate head of healthcare, the regional contracts director, the registered manager, a crisis worker and 2 sexual offences’ examiners. We checked the premises for access, fire safety and cleanliness. We reviewed the SARC’s policies and procedures, and other records about how the service was managed.
We assessed 10 quality statements in total under the safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led key questions.
We found the provider had met the regulations and evidence showed that people received a good standard of care and treatment. There were effective systems in place to ensure patient safety, welfare and privacy. Patients’ needs were thoroughly assessed, and care was planned and delivered in line with current best practice guidance. There was a systematic programme of audits to monitor the standard and quality of care provided to patients. However, the children’s safeguarding policy needed to be updated, and staff pre-employment checks needed to be strengthened.
The building had been specifically designed to meet all International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 15189 Standards and Forensic Science Regulator requirements to ensure high quality evidence was obtained to support patients through the criminal justice system. At the time of the inspection, it was awaiting accreditation with United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS).