Agenda item

Purpose of report: To inform the Social Care Services Board of the content of the Surrey Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report for 2015-2016 and invite the Board to review.

Witnesses:

Simon Turpitt,Independent Chair, Surrey Safeguarding Adults Board

Amanda Boodhoo,Surrey Wide CCG Deputy Director Safeguarding

Sonya Sellar, Area Director
Clare Curran, Cabinet Member for Children and Families Wellbeing
Mel Few, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Wellbeing and Independence

Declarations of interests:

None

Key points of discussion:

1. The Independent Chair of the Surrey Safeguarding Adults Board (SSAB) gave an overview of the annual report to the Board, explaining to the Board that the report was historic for the year 2015/16, rather than a state of current affairs. He highlighted in this overview that there was a smooth implementation of the Care Act 2014 over the time period highlighted in the report and that there had been significant improvements to the SSAB’s multi-agency links.
   
   
2. The Independent Chair highlighted several key areas of risk, noting that neglect was listed as the most frequent risk category. It was also noted that self-neglect and financial abuse had been highlighted as areas of concern for the SSAB, but that they were working closely with partners to help resolve these issue. The Independent Chair also highlighted that evidence of physical abuse had reduced by 2%, and hat the SSAB were finding new ways of working with partners to further reduce this.
   
   
3. The Independent Chair assured the Board that there had been no Serious Case Reviews undertaken since January 2016.
   
   
4. The Independent Chair highlighted that the SSAB had implemented new processes in order to improve outcomes, pointing out that there was multi-agency training in place. However, it was noted that the benefit of this was difficult to quantify as a result of its preventative nature.
   
   
5. The Independent Chair highlighted several key projects undertaken by the SSAB which had improved safeguarding awareness; citing examples of advertisements for the SSAB in Surrey and a greater representation on local groups. It was also noted that the SSAB had improved its ways of working, highlighting that there was a new and improved systems database in place to improve performance monitoring, which included an improved data model. It was also noted that the SSAB was fully staffed.
   
   
6. The Independent Chair specified three key priorities for the SSAB to maintain quality of service and achieve improvements:
   1. Improved training methods
   2. Improving visibility with partners and residents
   3. Increasing and strengthening ties with partner organisations
      
      
7. The Independent Chair expressed the need to improve links with General Practitioners (GPs) as a means of improving the safeguarding process. Members questioned why links with GPs were poor and what could be undertaken by the SSAB and Clinical Commissioning Groupss (CCGs) to rectify this issue. The Surrey Wide CCG Deputy Director Safeguarding highlighted that CCGs were working to improve these links, noting that an appointed safeguarding GP was being introduced and that training for GPs regarding safeguarding would be implemented. Members asked if progress regarding this and possible scrutiny of implementation could be brought to the Health and Wellbeing Board.
   
   
8. The Surrey Wide CCG Deputy Director of Safeguarding noted that the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) had moved into an integrated adults and children’s safeguarding team, highlighting that they were in a good position to provide support to the SSAB.
   
   
9. The Board and the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Wellbeing and Independence noted that they would prefer to receive a version of the SSAB Annual Report earlier in the year, so as to provide more effective input. The Independent Chair gave assurance that, while datasets were unavailable any earlier, the SSAB could provide an interim report to Members for analysis in future.
   
   
10. The Independent Chair and officers gave assurances to questions raised by Members that all of those at risks as a result of mental health issues would be fully assessed according to individual need.
    
    Marisa Heath left the meeting at 12.30pm
    
    
11. Members questioned the possibility of closer bonds and improved ways of working with the Surrey Safeguarding Children’s Board (SSCB) and the SSAB. The Independent Chair noted that the two organisations shared information and expertise and were looking into new ways of implementing joined up working in future.
    
    Marisa Heath re-joined the meeting at 12.45pm
    
    
12. The Board questioned the transition period between children and adults, and whether there were good links between the two boards and partners to minimise risk during this transition. The Independent Chair stressed that there was scope for improvement, particularly with relation to improving dialogue links with partners.
    
    
13. Members expressed appreciation for the clarity of the annual report and recommended that future reports deliver a similar clear message.
    
    

Recommendations:

The Board thanks the independent Chair and partner agencies for the report. It recommends:

1. That a short briefing covering how agencies have worked to respond to the rising instances of self-neglect being reported is circulated to the Board;

2. That, in the new council year, the scrutiny Board looks to support ASC through adopting a similar performance scorecard monitoring arrangement to that it currently has in place for Children Services;
   
   
3. That officers work with the Safeguarding Board to explore how a more timely update is brought to the Scrutiny Board; and

4. That the Health and Wellbeing Board explore options to identify a named GP for Safeguarding Adults.