Issue - meetings

Report by the Independent Chair of the East Sussex Safeguarding Adults Board

45.1     Graham Bartlett, Independent Chair of the Safeguarding Adults Board introduced the Annual Report and highlighted a number of key developments, including:

·         A Quality Assurance and Learning Development Officer has been appointed to work with both East Sussex County Council and Brighton and Hove City Council in support of developing an improved multi-agency audit process.  This development means the Board will have access to a comprehensive data set which enables it to have a better understanding of safeguarding risks;

·         New policies and procedures such as the Sussex Safeguarding Adults Policy and Procedures; revised self-neglect procedures; and the Multi-Agency Mental Capacity Act Policy and Procedures were published in 2018-19; and

·         In 2018-19 two new Safeguarding Adult Reviews (SAR) commenced.  These are ongoing and the findings will be reported to the People Scrutiny Committee in next year’s annual report.  The SAB also contributed to a SAR which was led by the Local Safeguarding Children's Board (LSCB), with the resultant report being published in June 2019.

45.2The Committee then discussed a range of issues.  These included:

·         Reporting safeguarding concerns. In response to a query about the public’s awareness of adult safeguarding issues and when and how individuals should raise a safeguarding concern, Members heard about of a range of initiatives that both the SAB and the Adult Social Care and Health department have developed.  These include, for example, work undertaken to promote reporting through the SAB’s website and leaflets which contain the Health and Social Care Connect contact number.  A further example is a safeguarding video produced by the Safeguarding Community Network (a sub-group of the SAB).   The video focuses on the safeguarding experiences of Ben and how he overcame abuse.   Members were encouraged to view the video.  Members were also informed that this is an area which is kept under constant review by the SAB and the Department, with the aim being to always ensure members of the public have a clear and simple route to report any concerns. 

·         Cross-border working. Members asked for clarification about the extent of cross-border working and were informed about a number of PAN Sussex policies, procedures and protocols which are supportive of this approach.  Members were also informed about networks such as the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) which provide opportunities to share good practice and develop policy.

·         Operation Signature.  Operation Signature is the operational response of Sussex Police to scam mail fraud.  Members welcomed this initiative but asked whether the differing levels of crime presented in the report are representative of a trend (regarding the graph on page 41 of the agenda).  In response, Members were informed that it is not clear whether the variability relates to changes in levels of reporting of crime or is instead reflective of actual rates of offending.  A longer-term analysis would therefore be needed to establish the nature of any trend.

45.3      RESOLVED:   to receive the Annual Report of the Safeguarding Adults Board.