Dudley Borough Council has produced a safeguarding leaflet for people on direct payments employing their own personal assistants (PAs).
Called Keeping it Safe, the leaflet explains what abuse is, how to minimise risks, and who you should go to if you are unhappy with your PA. It also gives details of free awareness raising training courses.
Read more
Friday, 8 January 2010
Safeguarding in partnership in Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent City Council has put partnership working at the heart of safeguarding vulnerable adults.
The council works closely with Staffordshire County Council on the new Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults in Staffordshire and Stoke Executive and Operational Boards, and with all of the board’s six sub groups.
The council also:
• holds regular workshops with the police to discuss cases of vulnerable adults and develop safeguarding arrangements
• holds ‘serious fire’ debrief meetings to consider lessons learned from cases where vulnerable adults have been involved in house fires
• has reciprocal arrangements for serious case reviews to ensure impartiality and professionalism
• looks at discharges to residential and nursing care of individuals and develops improvements to the process in partnership meetings with Stoke PCT and the Hospital Trust.
The council works closely with Staffordshire County Council on the new Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults in Staffordshire and Stoke Executive and Operational Boards, and with all of the board’s six sub groups.
The council also:
• holds regular workshops with the police to discuss cases of vulnerable adults and develop safeguarding arrangements
• holds ‘serious fire’ debrief meetings to consider lessons learned from cases where vulnerable adults have been involved in house fires
• has reciprocal arrangements for serious case reviews to ensure impartiality and professionalism
• looks at discharges to residential and nursing care of individuals and develops improvements to the process in partnership meetings with Stoke PCT and the Hospital Trust.
Taking the dignity pledge
Sandwell Council and its partners are urging local people to become dignity champions.
The appeal is part of a local campaign to adopt a zero tolerance approach to abuse and disrespect of older people.
Members of the public, council employees, councillors and other individuals have been asked to sign up as dignity champions and pledge to do ‘just one thing’ to help others.
A pack including ideas of how to help, details of dignity awareness training courses, and a pledge card, has been made available.
Call the healthy lifestyle helpline, telephone: 0800 011 4656.
Read more
The appeal is part of a local campaign to adopt a zero tolerance approach to abuse and disrespect of older people.
Members of the public, council employees, councillors and other individuals have been asked to sign up as dignity champions and pledge to do ‘just one thing’ to help others.
A pack including ideas of how to help, details of dignity awareness training courses, and a pledge card, has been made available.
Call the healthy lifestyle helpline, telephone: 0800 011 4656.
Read more
A fresh approach in Worcestershire
Worcestershire County Council has taken major steps to develop its adult safeguarding services since its inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in January 2009.
The authority – in common with the majority of West Midlands’ councils - was rated ‘adequate’, with ‘promising prospects’ for improvement.
Over the past year Worcestershire has embarked on a number of initiatives to raise awareness, improve skills and services, and set up new adult protection processes. These include:
Training – delivering workshops to nearly 2,000 employees ranging from social care and support staff to emergency planners, libraries and museum workers. They were shown how to spot potential abuse of vulnerable people in public places, and how to make safeguarding referrals.
A training strategy has been approved and additional courses will be provided on topics such as investigative skills for managers and undertaking independent management reviews of serious cases.
Members and the Safeguarding Adults Board – specific training for councillors has been provided to increase their awareness. An independent chair, funded jointly by key agencies in the county, will be appointed to the Safeguarding Adults Board.
Adult Protection Referrals – Safeguarding referrals have increased by 46% since last year. The workload has been greatly eased by additional support provided by the county’s new Care Services Quality Team (CSQT), particularly when investigating problems with service providers.
Establishing CSQT – The team provides support and guidance for care homes that are rated ‘poor' or ‘adequate’ by the CQC. All poorly performing homes are dealt with under the adult protection process where they are regularly monitored and reviewed. Home managers are required to suspend admissions until they can demonstrate improvements in care. CSQT works with staff to address failings, particularly in the areas of safeguarding, person centred care and dignity in care.
For information on safeguarding contact Sue Pidduck, Safeguarding lead, spidduck@worcestershire.gov.uk or Nicky Barry, Adult Protection Co-ordinator nbarry@worcestershire.gov.uk .
For information on CSQT contact Annie O’Mara, telephone: 01905 766939, email: aomara@worcestershire.gov.uk
The authority – in common with the majority of West Midlands’ councils - was rated ‘adequate’, with ‘promising prospects’ for improvement.
Over the past year Worcestershire has embarked on a number of initiatives to raise awareness, improve skills and services, and set up new adult protection processes. These include:
Training – delivering workshops to nearly 2,000 employees ranging from social care and support staff to emergency planners, libraries and museum workers. They were shown how to spot potential abuse of vulnerable people in public places, and how to make safeguarding referrals.
A training strategy has been approved and additional courses will be provided on topics such as investigative skills for managers and undertaking independent management reviews of serious cases.
Members and the Safeguarding Adults Board – specific training for councillors has been provided to increase their awareness. An independent chair, funded jointly by key agencies in the county, will be appointed to the Safeguarding Adults Board.
Adult Protection Referrals – Safeguarding referrals have increased by 46% since last year. The workload has been greatly eased by additional support provided by the county’s new Care Services Quality Team (CSQT), particularly when investigating problems with service providers.
Establishing CSQT – The team provides support and guidance for care homes that are rated ‘poor' or ‘adequate’ by the CQC. All poorly performing homes are dealt with under the adult protection process where they are regularly monitored and reviewed. Home managers are required to suspend admissions until they can demonstrate improvements in care. CSQT works with staff to address failings, particularly in the areas of safeguarding, person centred care and dignity in care.
For information on safeguarding contact Sue Pidduck, Safeguarding lead, spidduck@worcestershire.gov.uk or Nicky Barry, Adult Protection Co-ordinator nbarry@worcestershire.gov.uk .
For information on CSQT contact Annie O’Mara, telephone: 01905 766939, email: aomara@worcestershire.gov.uk
Partners show support in Coventry
Over 100 delegates from key organisations in Coventry attended the launch of a new city council initiative to safeguard vulnerable adults.
The event, held on the 30 November 2009, was used to inform 117 delegates of advances made in protecting and supporting individuals at risk or subject to neglect and abuse; to outline future priorities and to unveil a single contact telephone number for the public to report their concerns.
The new number, 024 7683 3800, has been introduced along with an information leaflet and an updated website providing useful information, advice and case studies illustrating how safeguarding works in practice.
The launch was an opportunity for partner agencies including the police, NHS and Age Concern, to publicly re-affirm their commitment to tackling abuse and neglect; to raise the profile of safeguarding adults to a broad audience; and to encourage people to report safeguarding concerns.
Brian Walsh, Director of Community Services, at Coventry City Council said: "Safeguarding is everyone’s business. We all have a duty to report concerns if we think someone is being abused or neglected. The launch highlighted how working together, sharing information and understanding the complexity involved, is more important than ever. The engagement and commitment from all organisations in the city is essential to tackle abuse.”
The Council will be documenting its progress to date which it will share with other authorities, and has commissioned a peer led review to further develop safeguarding practices in the city.
Read more
The event, held on the 30 November 2009, was used to inform 117 delegates of advances made in protecting and supporting individuals at risk or subject to neglect and abuse; to outline future priorities and to unveil a single contact telephone number for the public to report their concerns.
The new number, 024 7683 3800, has been introduced along with an information leaflet and an updated website providing useful information, advice and case studies illustrating how safeguarding works in practice.
The launch was an opportunity for partner agencies including the police, NHS and Age Concern, to publicly re-affirm their commitment to tackling abuse and neglect; to raise the profile of safeguarding adults to a broad audience; and to encourage people to report safeguarding concerns.
Brian Walsh, Director of Community Services, at Coventry City Council said: "Safeguarding is everyone’s business. We all have a duty to report concerns if we think someone is being abused or neglected. The launch highlighted how working together, sharing information and understanding the complexity involved, is more important than ever. The engagement and commitment from all organisations in the city is essential to tackle abuse.”
The Council will be documenting its progress to date which it will share with other authorities, and has commissioned a peer led review to further develop safeguarding practices in the city.
Read more
Considering No Secrets
The Government is considering its response to the consultation on the review of No Secrets, the legally binding guidance on keeping vulnerable adults safe.
The aim of the consultation was to listen to and learn about views and experiences of adult safeguarding.
The main question posed by the consultation was whether the guidance needed to change to help society keep adults safe from abuse or harm.
Published in 2000, it provides a framework for a multi agency approach to dealing with abuse or harm. It includes:
• a list of the main forms of abuse
• the requirement to identify roles and responsibilities of each organisation
• a directive for establishing clear lines of accountability, and mechanisms for monitoring, reviewing and carrying out annual audits.
Twenty agencies are identified as responsible for safeguarding, including councils, the NHS and police. Local authorities lead the development of policies, procedures and protocols.
A study commissioned by Comic Relief and the Department of Health found between 2.6% and 4% of people aged over 66 had experienced mistreatment. This equates to between 227,000 and 342,000 people in the UK.
The consultation was launched in October 2008. Twelve thousand people took part and a report summarising their responses has been published. These are currently being considered by the government and will form the basis of its response.
Read more:
No secrets: guidance on developing and implementing multi-agency policies and procedures to protect vulnerable adults from abuse
Safeguarding Adults - a consultation on the review of the 'No Secrets' Guidance
Safeguarding Adults: report of the consultation on the review of No Secrets
The aim of the consultation was to listen to and learn about views and experiences of adult safeguarding.
The main question posed by the consultation was whether the guidance needed to change to help society keep adults safe from abuse or harm.
Published in 2000, it provides a framework for a multi agency approach to dealing with abuse or harm. It includes:
• a list of the main forms of abuse
• the requirement to identify roles and responsibilities of each organisation
• a directive for establishing clear lines of accountability, and mechanisms for monitoring, reviewing and carrying out annual audits.
Twenty agencies are identified as responsible for safeguarding, including councils, the NHS and police. Local authorities lead the development of policies, procedures and protocols.
A study commissioned by Comic Relief and the Department of Health found between 2.6% and 4% of people aged over 66 had experienced mistreatment. This equates to between 227,000 and 342,000 people in the UK.
The consultation was launched in October 2008. Twelve thousand people took part and a report summarising their responses has been published. These are currently being considered by the government and will form the basis of its response.
Read more:
No secrets: guidance on developing and implementing multi-agency policies and procedures to protect vulnerable adults from abuse
Safeguarding Adults - a consultation on the review of the 'No Secrets' Guidance
Safeguarding Adults: report of the consultation on the review of No Secrets
JIP e-bulletin No 8 January 2010
Greetings and best wishes for the year ahead from all of us at the Joint Improvement Partnership.
2010 promises to be an exciting and innovative period as we begin to see the results of the hard work put into transforming and personalising social care, and continue to find new ways of delivering good quality services with fewer resources.
In this bulletin we focus on the pressing issue of protecting – otherwise known as safeguarding - vulnerable adults from neglect; and from physical, financial, psychological, emotional, sexual and discriminatory abuse.
In my own authority, Coventry City Council, we see safeguarding as everyone’s business. Towards the end of last year we launched new safeguarding initiatives including a designated phone number for the public to report their concerns, a new information leaflet and held a conference where all partner agencies reaffirmed their commitment to tackle abuse and neglect.
Other authorities in the region have taken significant steps to raise awareness of the issue by working closely with their partners and ensuring their procedures make a difference to peoples’ lives – read about the initiatives in Worcestershire, Sandwell, Stoke-on-Trent, Dudley and Wolverhampton.
Support for local authorities is available from the JIP, Department of Health and the Improvement and Development Agency for local government – details of how they can help are in the bulletin.
Please keep on sharing news and information about your developments, achievements and good practice, by sending details to cathrinalouis@btinternet.com, telephone 0790 8875533.
Thank you.
Brian Walsh
JIP
Director of Community Services
Coventry City Council
Greetings and best wishes for the year ahead from all of us at the Joint Improvement Partnership.
2010 promises to be an exciting and innovative period as we begin to see the results of the hard work put into transforming and personalising social care, and continue to find new ways of delivering good quality services with fewer resources.
In this bulletin we focus on the pressing issue of protecting – otherwise known as safeguarding - vulnerable adults from neglect; and from physical, financial, psychological, emotional, sexual and discriminatory abuse.
In my own authority, Coventry City Council, we see safeguarding as everyone’s business. Towards the end of last year we launched new safeguarding initiatives including a designated phone number for the public to report their concerns, a new information leaflet and held a conference where all partner agencies reaffirmed their commitment to tackle abuse and neglect.
Other authorities in the region have taken significant steps to raise awareness of the issue by working closely with their partners and ensuring their procedures make a difference to peoples’ lives – read about the initiatives in Worcestershire, Sandwell, Stoke-on-Trent, Dudley and Wolverhampton.
Support for local authorities is available from the JIP, Department of Health and the Improvement and Development Agency for local government – details of how they can help are in the bulletin.
Please keep on sharing news and information about your developments, achievements and good practice, by sending details to cathrinalouis@btinternet.com, telephone 0790 8875533.
Thank you.
Brian Walsh
JIP
Director of Community Services
Coventry City Council
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)