Agenda item

By receiving this Annual Report, the Health and Wellbeing Board will be informed of the activity and progress in relation to safeguarding adults in Surrey.

Witnesses:

Simon Turpitt, Independent Chair, Surrey Safeguarding Adults Board

Key points raised during the discussions:

·         The Independent Chair introduced the report drawing attention to some of the successes identified in the Surrey Safeguarding Adults Board (SSAB) Annual Report 2014 – 2015. Members were informed that a vision statement had been finalised which would underpin the work of the SSAB. Moreover, a new constitution had been produced as well as a comprehensive accountability framework. The installation of Liquidlogic software by Adult Social Care (ASC) would also enable more intelligent use of data which enabling SSAB to measure outcomes. It was further highlighted that increased output from local safeguarding adults groups had allowed SSAB to drive forward initiatives in specific localities.

·         Members were further informed about a number upcoming or extant challenges related to adult safeguarding in Surrey. Particular concerns were highlighted in relation to changes in the law on Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DOLS) which meant that these had increased significantly over the past year placing additional demand on ASC. The task of ensuring that all SSAB partner agencies were Care Act compliant in time for the introduction of the second phase of the Care Act being introduced from April 2016 was also listed as an area of concern for SSAB.

·         It was highlighted that the SSAB had become a statutory board with the introduction of the first phase of the Care Act on 1 April 2015 and that all local authorities were now required to operate an adults safeguarding board.

·         It was agreed that a letter would be sent from the Co-Chairs of the Health and Wellbeing Board to the Chief Executive of each District and Borough Council asking them to formally respond to the findings and outcomes of the SSAB Annual Report 2014 – 2015.

·         Discussions also took place around the provision of training particularly to help identify self-neglect which was rapidly becoming one of the most significant safeguarding challenges. The Independent Chair advised the Board that safeguarding training had been provided to some partner organisations but that more training needed to be delivered to ensure a coordinated response to the safeguarding of adults in Surrey.

·         The Independent Chair was asked to indicate whether the SSAB Annual Report 2014 – 2015 identifies whether adults in Surrey are safer than they were the previous year. The Board was informed that the current metrics available to SSAB meant it wasn’t possible to answer this question. It was, however, stressed that the new software being introduced by ASC from July 2016 would give SSAB the necessary data to answer this question in future years.

·         Concerns were raised regarding the comparatively low safeguarding referral rates among ethnic minority communities in Surrey and the Independent Chair was asked to provide details of what was being done to address this. Members were advised that Healthwatch Surrey had been working closely with Asian communities throughout the County and could develop channels of communication between these communities and the SSAB.

RESOLVED

That Health and Wellbeing Board members take the Annual Report back to their respective organisations and consider any implications on services development and working practices which their organisations should act upon.

Actions/further information to be provided:

Letter to be drafted from the Co-Chairs of the Health and Wellbeing Board to all District and Borough Chief Executives requesting a formal response to the outcomes of the Surrey Safeguarding Adults Annual Report (Action Ref: A26/15)