Agenda item

Report by Independent Chair, East Sussex Safeguarding Adults Board

73.1    Graham Bartlett, Independent Chair of the Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB) introduced the Annual Report.  The SAB is a multi-agency Board configured under the Care Act 2014.  Its primary duty is to assure that local safeguarding arrangements comply with the Care Act 2014 and related statutory guidance. This is done via a range of mechanisms including working collaboratively with agencies, gathering data, delivering training, auditing and conducting safeguarding adult reviews.

73.2    Mr Bartlett’s introductory comments focused on a Safeguarding Adults Review (SAR) which considered the circumstances relating to the death of Adult B, a 94-year-old woman.  The review was led by an Independent Reviewer.  The resultant report identified themes relating to the way agencies communicate and work together and how individuals sometimes displayed a lack of professional curiosity.  One key outcome of the review has been the development of an ‘unexplained adult death protocol’ which East Sussex SAB has led on and which it is believed will go on to have an impact at the national level.  The protocol commits agencies to come together quickly where an adult has died and there is suspicion of abuse or neglect.  

73.2    The Committee then discussed a range of issues which included the following items:

·   Independent care sector: In response to a query, it was confirmed that independent care providers do ‘have a duty of care’ to report safeguarding concerns to the Adult Social Care and Health Department.  It is also a CQC requirement that regulated providers have systems in place for this, which are regulated through the inspection regime. Mr Bartlett also confirmed that the private care sector is represented on the SAB and that the Board works closely with the sector. 

·   GP’s (General Practitioners) role in safeguarding: Clarification was sought about the role of General Practitioners (GPs) with regard to safeguarding referrals and whether there is a particular issue with the rate of such referrals in East Sussex.  In response Members were informed that the local Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has been working with Primary Care around building up GP knowledge and awareness around safeguarding.  With regard to the case of Adult B the key issue was a lack of effective engagement with the GP about potential safeguarding concerns.

·  Communication between agencies:  The Committee sought assurance that the issue of effective communication and information sharing between agencies is being addressed, given these areas are often cited as themes in SAR reports.  In response, the committee heard that the PAN Sussex Information Protocol seeks to help improve the effectiveness of the interactions between agencies by providing clarity to professionals about, for example, when information can be shared and whether authority should be sought first.  The committee were assured that the impact of the protocol will be carefully monitored.  Members also asked for more detail about multi-agency audits and their usefulness ‘as a teaching tool’.  In response the committee were informed that such audits provide ‘a tried and tested’ process for bringing agencies together to delve into specific issues.  This can help reveal, for example, whether there are any significant communication gaps between agencies and provide a mechanism for discussing potential solutions for closing them. 

73.3    The Committee RESOLVED to note the report.