Issue - items at meetings - Safeguarding Adults Annual Report

Report of the Director of Adult Social Services on safeguarding adults (copy attached)

43.1    This item was introduced by Denise D’Souza, Director of Adult Social Services and Lead Commissioner, People. Also present were Brian Doughty, Head of Adults Assessment, and Michelle Jenkins, Safeguarding Adults Manager

43.2    In response to a question asking how council staff and those of partners were alerted to safeguarding issues, members were told that a variety of means were used, including an email staff register that automatically alerted subscribers. There are still some software incompatibilities, particularly regarding the council’s Care First and the NHS Care Programme databases, and non-IT solutions to these may be required.

43.3    In answer to a query about the high number of safeguarding alerts compared to investigations, the committee was told that safeguarding procedures had subsequently been clarified, as it was felt that partners were making alerts where there were care rather than safeguarding issues – many of the alerts were leading to care assessments rather than safeguarding investigation.

43.4    In response to questions regarding the relatively low alarm rates from BME and LGBT communities, members were told that there was ongoing work to raise awareness amongst BME people. Currently, data is not collated on LGBT people, as there is a sensitivity about asking for this information at a time of crisis.

43.5    In answer to a query about the long time taken to conduct some safeguarding investigations/staff investigations, the committee was told that the process was sometimes unavoidably lengthy as investigations into staff misconduct often had to wait until a safeguarding investigation had concluded. However, the process was now as streamlined as possible.

43.6    The Chair commended the council’s safeguarding team for their excellent work, reflected in the annual report.

43.7    RESOLVED – That the annual safeguarding adults report be noted.