Agenda item

Purpose of report: Scrutiny of Services

The Committee has requested oversight of level and type of Safeguarding activity and an explanation of new duties placed on Surrey County Council, specific to Safeguarding, through the implementation of the Care Act 2014. The Committee has also requested oversight of the response to the closure of Merok Park Nursing Home.

Annex 4 was published on 8 May 2015.

Declarations of interest:

None

Witnesses:

Vernon Nosal, Interim Head of Quality Assurance and Adults Strategic Safeguarding, Adult Social Care

Simon Turpitt, Independent Chair, Surrey Safeguarding Adults Board

Dave Sargeant, Strategic Director, Adult Social Care

Key points raised during the discussions:

·        The Independent Chair of Surrey Safeguarding Adults Board (IC) gave the committee a brief overview of the work that the Board has undertaken since his appointment 18 months ago. Information was provided to Members on the work done by the IC to improve the Surrey Safeguarding Adults Board (SSAB) including promoting it as a multiagency board rather than just focused on ASC as well as developing a person-centred approach to conducting safeguarding enquiries. It was further highlighted that the introduction of the Care Act has given SSAB more powers to ensure that recommendations made to partners are actually acted on.

·        The Interim Head of Quality Assurance and Adults Strategic Safeguarding (IHQA) provided the Committee with an outline of some of the work being done by ASC to continue to improve adults safeguarding in Surrey. This includes the distribution of literature to people and providers covered by safeguarding legislation to ensure that all parties are aware of their rights and responsibilities in relation to safeguarding. Members were further advised that where individuals don’t want to receive support from ASC efforts will be made to utilise FFC to ensure that this person is monitored and that an intervention takes place, if required, before they reach crisis point.

·        Attention was also drawn to the number of safeguarding alerts received which has been attributed to having strong communication culture in relation to safeguarding and that the preference is to have more alerts but fewer referrals. Members were also informed about the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH), a forum developed for the rapid exchange of information between agencies. Efforts are currently being made to optimise the work of the MASH by exploring best practice from other local authorities.

·        The IHQA also talked briefly about the lessons learned by ASC as a result of the closure of Merok Park. A summit involving all relevant partners highlighted that people weren’t aware of how to report concerns, subsequently it has been agreed to implement a system whereby ASC and its partners have a coordinated approach to dealing with homes that are presenting challenges. Work is presently being done to consider what intelligence is required to facilitate a coordinated response as well as determining what this response will look like.

·        Members expressed concern that the number of safeguarding alerts has tripled in the past five years. The IC advised that this is primarily a result of better awareness of adults’ safeguarding which, unlike children’s safeguarding, was not given a great deal of consideration until four or five years ago. The IHQA indicated that ASC has been active in promoting awareness of safeguarding among patients and partners.

·        The witnesses were asked whether they had any insights on why instances of neglect are continuing to rise. The IHQA advised Members that ASC are in the process of analysing data to gain a better understanding of the setting and circumstances in which neglect takes place so that strategies can be devised to tackle it. The IC informed Members that self-neglect is now classified as a form of abuse and will have a significant impact on the number of referrals relating to neglect which will cause considerable challenges for SCC.

·        Members asked whether SSAB is receiving adequate support from partners in relation to information and data sharing. It was highlighted by the IC that all partners have committed to an information and data sharing agreement in general and that he will actively ensure that partners comply with this agreement where this isn’t happening.

·        The education of staff and care workers on recognising safeguarding issues and encouraging them to report when they have concerns. The IHQA informed the Committee that work is being done to illustrate to staff and families what good care looks like so that they have a better understanding when the care being given to patients/ family members falls short.

·        The IHQA was asked to shed light on how poor care delivery happens. It was advised that there are numerous reasons why care delivery can fall below the standard expected. The work of registered managers was seen as being particularly important, however, who are able to delivery of consistently high quality care. Often when there is a high turnover of managers the quality of care seems to suffer.

Recommendations:

1. The Committee recommends that it continues to receive safeguarding updates with the future report to include updates from each of the project groups and the progress made on inter-agency data sharing.
2. The Committee endorses the current and planned work being undertaken with regard to the Care Act 2014 safeguarding implementation paper and Quality Assurance project.

Actions/ further information to be provided:

            None

Committee next steps:

            None