About the Suffolk Adult Safeguarding Board

Frequency of Meetings
Sub Groups and Locality Committees
Board Membership
Roles and Responsibilities of Key Agencies and Organisations
Statements and Key Principles when Working with Adults at Risk of Abuse
Annual Report

The Suffolk Adult Safeguarding Board (ASB) is a multi-agency partnership that promotes the development of adult safeguarding work throughout the Suffolk.

The Board consists of senior officers nominated by each of the main agencies who will be responsible for developing and maintaining strong and effective inter agency protocols to safeguard vulnerable adults from abuse. In addition, members have sufficient delegated authority to effectively represent their agency and to make decisions on their agency's behalf.

 

Board Members are expected to commit to attending all four board meetings a year; members unable to attend ensure that a deputy attends on their behalf. If they are unable to attend Board Meetings for any reason they send a representative of sufficient seniority.

All member organisations are committed to implementing the Adult Safeguarding Board Policy, Operational Guidance and procedures and work to achieve the following six key principles:

1. Empowerment – taking a person-centred approach, whereby users feel involved and informed.

2. Protection – delivering support to victims to allow them to take action which protects them from further harm.

3. Prevention – responding quickly to all allegations of abuse.

4. Proportionality – ensuring outcomes are appropriate for the individual.

5. Partnership – information is shared appropriately and the person is involved.

6. Accountability – all agencies have a clear leadership role in promoting the key principles adopted by the Board.

The six key principles also follow government advice set out in the:

• No Secrets’ multi-agency guidance published in 2000
• Joint protocol between Association of Directors of Social Services (ADSS), Commission for Social Care Inspection and Association of Chief Police Officers of December 2003
• Standards for Better Health 2004
• Safeguarding Adults’ Standards published by ADSS in October 2005.

And any subsequent guidance or legislation issued by central government.

In addition the ASB is there to provide leadership and effective oversight of effective interagency collaboration and Suffolk’s Safeguarding Service is appropriately resourced.

Frequency of Meetings

Adult Safeguarding Board meetings take place quarterly, minutes, including reports and agenda are available under publications.

Meeting dates for 2012 are as follows:-

• February 22 ^nd
• May 16 ^th
• August 22 ^nd
• ^{November 21st}

Sub Groups and Locality Committees


ASB Sub-Groups

Adult safeguarding Board Sub-Groups meet quarterly, prior to the main board in order to explore specific topic areas, each sub-group prepares as report which is presented to the main ASB quarterly meeting.

Health sub-group

The Health sub-group meets to develop robust systems and processes for safeguarding adults at risk of abuse within health settings to ensure a joined up approach across the County. Membership consists of representatives from:-

• NHS Suffolk
• NHS Great Yarmouth & Waveney
• Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust
• West Suffolk Hospital NHS Trust
• James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Suffolk Mental Health Partnership Trust
• Norfolk & Waveney Mental Health Trust
• Suffolk Community Healthcare
• NHS Great Yarmouth & Waveney Community Services

Adult Safeguarding Locality Committee Meetings are meet twice each year within three areas of the county; South/East, West and North.

 

The Locality Committees are made up of the local safeguarding leads within the area including community partners. The main purpose of the committee is to raise awareness and respond to issues relating to safeguarding adults at risk of abuse, whilst endeavouring to provide a consistent approach to the matters that are raised across the county.

 

Each Locality Committee is required to:

• Share examples of good practice – e.g. through discussion or formal case study
• Receive information regarding adult safeguarding issues from the Safeguarding Board
• Provide local representation to the Adult Safeguarding Board of safeguarding issues
• Updating other representatives at each Locality Committee regarding local adult safeguarding activity
• Be familiar with the process of making an adult safeguarding referral in Suffolk and check the adult safeguarding website for updates.

Performance and Quality sub-group

The effectiveness of safeguarding work in Suffolk is monitored by the performance and quality sub-group, and is overseen by the Adult Safeguarding Board. The sub group membership includes representatives from the safeguarding team, the business development team, and social work area teams.

In order to do this effectively, the Performance and Quality sub-group commission’s reports which enable a better understanding of how social work practice and safeguarding performance are linked. Areas of weakness are identified and strategies make improvements when the need arises.

 

The sub-group also takes responsibility for facilitating the collection of data that is used to fulfil the department’s statutory return of safeguarding data.

Provider Sub-Group

The Provider sub-group was set up following the Adult Community Services inspection which was undertaken by the Care Quality Commission. The purpose of the group is to:-

• Engage with care providers to further develop adult safeguarding systems and procedures.
• Work in partnership with providers to improve knowledge and communication and share best practice
• Support providers that request additional guidance and training to achieve quality safe care services

Serious Case Review Sub-Group. (SCR sub-group)

The Serious Case Reviews Sub-Group consists of nominated members of the ASB, which provides advice to the ASB Chair on whether the criteria for conducting a SCR have been met. The SCR sub-group involves representatives from local authority Adult and Community Services, health (commissioning Primary Care Trust (PCT) and other partners as relevant), and the police at a minimum.

 

The chair of the SCR sub-group is nominated when a case arises and is expected to be an experienced professional who has sufficient knowledge of services within Suffolk, this may be a member of the ASB or a nominated professional. However the Chair of any SCR Sub-group will not be a member of the ASB who is involved in the Serious Case Review, or an employee of any of the agencies involved in the Serious Case Review. Full details including the Serious Case Review Policy and Procedures, can be found on the professional publications page.

 

Training and Quality Assurance Sub-group

This group is currently under development. The aim of this group will be to ensure that we have a skilled workforce to help protect adults at risk and that there is awareness across the community, public, independent and voluntary sectors about what constitutes safeguarding and what to do if abuse is suspected. Details of training can be found on the Safeguarding Training page.

Adult Safeguarding Board Membership


Chair : Peter Tempest, Service Director, Independence and Well Being, Adult and Community Services.

Alan Keeley, Community Safety Unit Manager, Adult and Community Services

Andrew Scott, Deputy Director of Governance and Social Work, Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust

Barbara Mclean, Director of Nursing and Quality, SMHP

Cathy Moran, Director of Nursing, Great Yarmouth & Waveney Community Services

Christine Tremlett, Supporting People Officer, Adult and Community Services

Dan Gaul, Head of Shelter and Safety, Adult and Community Services

Daphne Savage, Chief Executive, Age UK / Deputy Chair: Adult Safeguarding Board

Dominic Nasmyth-Miller, Safeguarding Advisor for Mental Capacity and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, Adult and Community Services.

Geoff Meech, Operations and Partnership Manager, Adult and Community Services

Gavin Stone, Assistant Diocesan Secretary, Church of England

Jacqui Martin, Chief Executive, Suffolk Family Carers

Janet Elliott, Safeguarding Adults Lead, NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney / Lead for NHS Continuing Healthcare NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney

Jayne Holmes, Deputy Chief Nurse, West Suffolk Hospital

Julie Sadler, Senior Nurse / Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults Lead, Ipswich Hospital

Mary Hardman, Deputy Director of Adult and Older Persons Services, Great Yarmouth and Waveney Primary Care Trust

Mary Newman, Representative of the Suffolk Pensioners Association

Nichola Burley, Adult Safeguarding Manager, Western and Eastern Areas, Adult and Community Services.

Nicola Cottington, Acting Head of Adult Services, NHS Suffolk

Paula Youell, Head of Adult Safeguarding, ACS

Phil Embury, Assistant Chief Fire Officer

Sara Fletcher, Deputy Director of Patient Safety and Clinical Quality, NHS Suffolk

Sarah Wardley, Director, Public Protection, Norfolk and Suffolk Probation Trust

Seb Smith, Adult Safeguarding Manager, Northern and Southern Areas, Adult and community Services

Stuart McCallum, Detective Chief Inspector, Suffolk Constabulary

Timothy Earl, Interim Head of Legal Services, Suffolk County Council  

Roles and Responsibilties of Key Agencies and Organisations

The Role of the Chair of the Adult Safeguarding Board

The current Chair of the ASB in Suffolk was elected by the Board.

Peter Tempest is the Service Director for Independence and well-being within Adult Community Services and ensures the Boards work is prioritised in order to take forward the strategic work plans agreed.

The Chair enables the work of the ASB to be implemented through negotiation, challenge and motivation, ensuring that all relevant partners recognise the safeguarding of adults as a top priority in their strategic development, policy formulation and operational performance.

Deputy Chair

The Deputy Chair, Daphne Savage was appointed by the ASB, to act on behalf of the chair in his absence and act as an independent senior member of the board on behalf of her role as Chief Executive, Age UK.

Suffolk County Council Adult Community Services has the lead responsibility to ensure appropriate safeguarding arrangements are in place and coordinate multi-agency work to protect adults at risk from abuse and exploitation.

 

The Suffolk Constabulary has the lead responsibility for carrying out an investigation of a crime. Instances of abuse may be criminal acts therefore every referral is discussed with a police representative which ensures that criminal offences are dealt with appropriately whilst paying due regard to the vulnerability of the alleged victim.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) are informed of any issues of abuse which take place within a registered care setting for which they have regulatory responsibility.

Safeguarding is Everybody’s Business

All agencies with a responsibility for the care, welfare and protection of adults at risk of abuse must ensure they:

• Have a culture of zero tolerance to all forms of abuse.
• Be conversant with ASB guidance, policy and procedures.
• Ensure they have in place appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures, including an accessible ‘whistle blowing policy.
• Ensure safer recruitment practices are followed.
• Ensure that they have sufficient staff training programmes to guarantee that all staff know what to do if they are concerned that abuse has or may take place. 

Statements and Key Principles when working with Adults at Risk of Abuse

 

 

The Adult Safeguarding Policy and Operational Guidance is available to all agencies, staff and volunteers who have a responsibility for the care, support and protection of vulnerable adults in Suffolk. Whilst acknowledging that some people are more vulnerable to abuse than others because they are disempowered within society it is also understood that some people may be additionally susceptible because of disability, age, impairment or illness. Therefore the key principles which underpin the policy and procedures ensure that:-

• Every person has the right to live a life free from abuse, exploitation and neglect.
• Adults at risk of abuse must be made aware of their rights and given information, advice and support, and must be encouraged and enabled to access protection from the law and legal processes.
• Every effort must be made to promote the well-being, security and safety of adults at risk of abuse consistent with their rights, mental capacity and personal choices.
• In most cases, the adult at risk of abuse should be the person who decides on the chosen course of action, whilst being given all possible support.
• In some cases, an adult with mental capacity may choose to remain in an abusive environment or situation. In these cases it is still extremely important to consider what advice and support can be offered to reduce their risk from harm.

Organsiations working with Vulnerable Adults

Every organisation must ensure they promote the duty of care and protection of vulnerable people and have a clear, well publicised policy of zero tolerance of abuse; in addition all agencies are expected to be aware of the ASB policy, and where possible safeguarding procedures should be known and understood by customers, relatives and friends as well as staff.

 

Safer Recruitment

 

All organisations must ensure they are compliant with the appropriate safe recruitment practices to help reduce the risk of abusive behaviour and practice, on the basis that those working with vulnerable groups do so in a position of trust, therefore services should be provided in an environment which lessens any imbalance of power and encourages independence and self-advocacy for service users.

 

Anti-discriminatory Practice

 

All working practices should minimise the risk of abuse by discrimination through being sensitive to individual, gender and cultural needs or any other practice which may stigmatise or disadvantage the individual or customer group.

 

Inter-agency Working and Communication

 

Effective inter-agency working and communication is crucial in order to protected adults at risk of abuse. Information sharing must be collaborative with clear communication pathways between agencies and professionals.

Decisions made to share information (or not) must be defensible and in the best interests of vulnerable people in a bid to reduce or prevent harm; and consideration must be given to the likelihood of harm being caused if the information is not shared.

 

To ensure a balance between the requirement of confidentiality and the need to share information due consideration is given to:-

• Public Interest Disclosure Act (1998)
• The Caldecott Guardians
• Human Rights Act 1998
• Section 17 Crime and Disorder Act (1998)

Suffolk Adult Safeguarding Annual Report 

 

The annual report is produced in July of each year and outlines the work of the ASB, state objectives and priorities for the coming year and present information gained from the monitoring of abuse in Suffolk, previous and current annual reports can be found under publications.