Female Genital Mutilation

The Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Enhanced Dataset (SCCI 2026) supports the Department of Health and Social Care’s FGM Prevention Programme by presenting a picture of the prevalence of FGM  identified by the NHS in England. 

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) refers to procedures that intentionally alter or cause injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. FGM has been illegal in the United Kingdom since 1985, with the law being strengthened in 2003 to prevent girls travelling from the UK and undergoing FGM abroad.

Data is collected by healthcare providers in England, including acute hospitals, mental health services and GP practices.

The quarterly publications report statistics about the latest three month period and include some analyses of past data since 2015. The Annual Reports are more detailed and include more tables.  Statistics are presented for England and regions and also for the organisations that were current at the time: for example, recent publications report data for Integrated Care Boards and sub-Integrated Care Boards, and earlier publications reported data for Clinical Commissioning Groups.   All geographies are based upon the woman or girl's postcode of usual address except for Submitting organisation which is based upon the organisation that submitted the data. Geographies are current as at the time of the publication reflecting the boundaries that currently apply and not boundaries which applied in the past.  The  Excel dashboard includes data for each quarter since 2015 with breakdowns at the following subnational levels: Sub Integrated Care Boards (Sub-ICBs), Local Authority (LA), Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), Submitting organisation (NHS Trust), and NHS Commissioning Region. 

Proposals to change this publication

As part of a wider consultation about possible changes to health and social care statistical outputs, NHS England proposes to discontinue the female genital mutilation quarterly report, two page summary report and the associated supporting data and additional data excel files. Quarterly data would continue to be released in the existing dashboard and open data CSV file. The annual report and its excel data files would continue under this proposal.

The consultation can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/health-and-social-care-statistical-outputs/health-and-social-care-statistical-outputs-published-by-dhsc-including-ohid-nhsbsa-ukhsa-ons-and-nhs-england#child-maternal-and-reproductive-health. Please reply about this proposal via the on line survey on that link by 5 March 2024.

Proposals to change the FGM Enhanced Dataset

In addition to the above consultation on changes to statistical outputs, we are also consulting about changes to the FGM Enhanced Dataset to ensure that it is still fit for purpose, the key information is provided in a least burdensome and sensitive manner and improve the completeness and quality of the data.

The consultation can be found here: FGM consultation overview. We would be grateful if you could complete the FGM consultation questionnaire by 10 April 2024