Issue - items at meetings - Safeguarding Adults Annual Report 2012-13

Report of Executive Director of Adult Social Services (copy attached).

(1)       That the safeguarding work carried out in 2012-13, and the priorities planned for 2013-14 be noted.

(2)       That the report be agreed for circulation.

24.1    The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director of Adult Services which introduced the Brighton & Hove Safeguarding Adults Board’s Annual Report for 2012-13.  The Head of Safeguarding (Adults) presented the report and explained that the report outlined the work carried out during in 2012/13, and the priorities for 2013/14. The Annual Report will be published on the council’s website and will be circulated to all member organisations of the Safeguarding Adults Board. 

24.2    The Executive Director of Adult Services informed members that there was a great amount of safeguarding work being carried out and stressed that changes brought about by the Care Bill 2013 had been challenging.  She emphasised that although the Board functioned well at present it was necessary to make further improvements by working with partners in a more consistent way. 

24.3    Councillor Meadows referred to the section on Multi-Agency Working in Section 2.2 of the Annual Report and asked if the IT system was working well.  She was informed that this was an initiative of the Community Safety Team who were looking at the risk for vulnerable people of anti-social behaviour.  The IT system had client information about vulnerable victims and had been seen as very positive. 

24.4    Councillor Meadows referred to Troubled Family Programme and asked if it was cost effective.  She was informed that it was too early to know the impact of the Troubled Family Programme but it would be carefully monitored.

24.5    Councillor Meadows referred to 3.1 of the Annual report in relation to the 23% increase in the number of investigations for alerts which required a safeguarding investigation.  She asked about the resource implications and whether extra staff would be employed to deal with that matter.  She was informed that there were 16.5 investigations for alerts a week which was a large number and needed to be monitored and investigated.  It was a huge burden on staff.

24.6    Councillor Meadows referred to paragraph 4.6 in relation to Ireland Lodge and asked what happened to vulnerable people who had been declined referrals.  She was informed that this action was a result of a recommendation of the coroner who found that the level of need was increasing.  Officers were in close contact with hospitals to ensure that there were appropriate admissions. Delayed discharges were minimal. 

24.7    Councillor Meadows referred to paragraph 4.10 in relation to training by e-learning.  She asked how this was monitored and whether it was as effective as face to face training.   She was informed that e-learning was being used more as an option.  Free safeguarding training was still offered.  A capability framework has been developed and has been used with staff to ensure competency.

24.8    Councillor Meadows noted the acronym PRIMH mentioned in Section 4.11.  She asked what it referred to.  She was informed that PRIMH referred to Promoting Recovery in Mental Health and this would be made clear in the final document.

24.9    Councillor Summers thanked officers for the report. She referred to paragraph 3.1 which reported an increase in 29% in the number of safeguarding alerts raised of suspected harm or abuse of an adult at risk.    She asked why there had been such an increase and why half were not investigated.

24.10  The Head of Safeguarding (Adults) explained that the ongoing increase in alerts was a national trend mainly due to raising awareness.  54% did not require investigation but were still logged and analysed.  Other actions might be taken apart from investigations.  An audit was carried out each year on cases that were not investigated.  Investigations were also audited to see if they were appropriate. 

24.11  Councillor Summers referred to the second graph in section 3.2 - % of Completed Investigations by Age Group of adult at risk.  She commented that it was very noticeable that the 25-64 age group was highest and she asked why this was the case. 

24.12  The Head of Safeguarding explained that the numbers of investigations involving the younger group included cases of issues such as substance misuse.

24.13  Councillor Summers referred to Figure 5 - % of Completed investigations by nature of alleged abuse and noted that a quarter were due to neglect.  

24.14  The Head of Safeguarding (Adults) acknowledged that the number of neglect cases was a concern and stressed the importance of preventative work.  An increase in an investigation of neglect also showed the raising of awareness that neglect is a form of abuse which requires alerting and investigations. 

24.15  Councillor Mears congratulated officers on an excellent report which was very informative.  She asked how the Troubled Families Programme was funded.  

24.16  The Executive Director reported that the Troubled Families Programme was run by Children & Families.  There was payment by result around the ring-fenced group.  Adult Services were trying to adopt the same methodology.

24.17  Councillor Mears mentioned that a number of people were being placed in Ireland Lodge who had drug and substance misuse issues.  She questioned whether it was appropriate to place people with these problems in Ireland Lodge and hoped that the right people would be placed there in future.

24.18  The Executive Director reported that Ireland Lodge took people with dementia whereas Wayfield Avenue took clients with more functioning mental need.  The client group was getting slightly younger at Wayfield Avenue. 

24.19  Councillor Norman considered the report to be very good and wide ranging.  He did not think it necessary to restructure the Board at present.  

24.20  The Executive Director explained that there would be a review of the Board but not a restructure.  The review would ensure that the Board was fit for purpose.

24.21  The Chair thanked the Head of Safeguarding (Adults) for her work on the report.

24.22  RESOLVED - (1)      That the safeguarding work carried out in 2012-13, and the priorities planned for 2013-14 be noted.

(2)       That the report be agreed for circulation.