Safeguarding Adults Policy Statement

A full PDF of the Safeguarding Adults Policy statement can be downloaded here

This policy will enable Rosebery Centre to demonstrate its commitment to keeping safe the vulnerable adults with whom it works alongside.

Rosebery Centre acknowledges its duty to act appropriately to any allegations, reports or suspicions of abuse.

It is important to have the policy and procedures in place so that staff, volunteers, service users and carers, and management committee can work to prevent abuse and know what to do in the event of abuse.

The Policy Statement and Procedures have been drawn up in order to enable Rosebery Centre to:

promote good practice and work in a way that can prevent harm, abuse and coercion occurring.
to ensure that any allegations of abuse or suspicions are dealt with appropriately and the person experiencing abuse is supported.
and to stop that abuse occurring.

The Policy and Procedures relate to the safeguarding of vulnerable adults. Vulnerable adults are defined as:

People aged 18 or over
Who are receiving or may need community care services because of learning, physical or mental disability, age, or illness?
Who are or may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation?

(No Secrets, Department of Health, 2000)

The policy applies to all staff, including senior managers, management committee members, trustees, paid staff, volunteers, sessional workers, agency staff, students and anyone working on behalf of Rosebery Centre

It is acknowledged that significant numbers of vulnerable adults are abused, and it is important that Rosebery Centre has a Safeguarding Adults Policy, a set of procedures to follow and puts in place preventative measures to try and reduce those numbers.

In order to implement the policy, the Rosebery Centre will work:

to promote the freedom and dignity of the person who has or is experiencing abuse
to promote the rights of all people to live free from abuse and coercion
to ensure the safety and well being of people who do not have the capacity to decide how they want to respond to abuse that they are experiencing
to manage services in a way which promotes safety and prevents abuse
recruit staff and volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made
provide effective management for staff and volunteers through supervision, support and training
Rosebery Centre
will ensure that all management committee members, trustees, staff, volunteers, service users, and carers/families are familiar with this policy and procedures
will work with other agencies within the framework of the West Lothian Safeguarding Adults Board Policy and Procedures, issued under No Secrets guidance (Department of Health, 2000)
will act within it’s confidentiality policy and will usually gain permission from service users before sharing information about them with another agency
will pass information to Adult and Culture Services when more than one person is at risk. For example: if the concern relates to a worker, volunteer or organisation who provides a service to vulnerable adults or children
will inform service users that where a person is in danger, a child is at risk or a crime has been committed then a decision may be taken to pass information to another agency without the service user’s consent
will make a referral to the Adult Social Care Direct team as appropriate
will endeavor to keep up to date with national developments relating to preventing abuse and welfare of adults
will ensure that the Designated Named Person understands his/her responsibility to refer incidents of adult abuse to the relevant statutory agencies (Police/Adult and Culture Services Directorate)

The Designated Named Person for Safeguarding Adults in Rosebery Centre is Anne Marson Manager Rosebery Centre

They should be contacted for support and advice on implementing this policy and procedures.

This policy should be read in conjunction with the West Lothians Safeguarding Adults Policy and Procedures documents which are available at: www.westlothianchcp.org.uk

These are kept in locked filling cabinet in Managers Office

Procedures

Introduction

Rosebery Centre provides a day care service to older adult’s people. These procedures have been designed to ensure the welfare and protection of any adult who accesses services provided by Rosebery Centre. The procedures recognise that adult abuse can be a difficult subject for workers to deal with. Rosebery Centre is committed to the belief that the protection of vulnerable adults from harm and abuse is everybody’s responsibility, and the aim of these procedures is to ensure that all managers, trustees of the organisation, management committee members, staff and volunteers act appropriately in response to any concern around adult abuse.

Preventing abuse

Rosebery Centre is committed to putting in place safeguards and measures to reduce the likelihood of abuse taking place within the services it offers and that all those involved within Rosebery Centre will be treated with respect.

Therefore, this policy needs to be read in conjunction with the following policies:

Equal Rights and Diversity
Volunteers
Complaints
Whistle Blowing
Confidentiality
Disciplinary and Grievance
Data Protection
Recruitment and Selection

Rosebery Centre is committed to safer recruitment policies and practices for paid staff, trustees and volunteers. This may include CRB disclosures for staff and volunteers, ensuring references are taken up and adequate training on Safeguarding Adults is provided for staff and volunteers.

Management committee members/trustees will be required to provide two references and where appropriate have a Criminal Records Bureau disclosure.

The organisation will work within the current legal framework for reporting staff or volunteers that are abusers.

Service users will be encouraged to become involved with the running of the organisation. Information will be available about abuse and the complaints policy and Safeguarding Adults policy statement will be available to service users and their carers/families.

Recognising the signs and symptoms of abuse

Rosebery Centre is committed to ensuring that all staff, the management committee, trustees and volunteers undertake training to gain a basic awareness of signs and symptoms of abuse. Rosebery Centre will ensure that the Designated Named Person and other members of staff, trustees and volunteers have access to training around Safeguarding Adults.

“Abuse is a violation of an individual’s human and civil rights by any other person or persons” (No Secrets: Department of Health, 2000)

Abuse includes:

physical abuse: including hitting, slapping, punching, burning, misuse of medication, inappropriate restraint

sexual abuse: including rape, indecent assault, inappropriate touching, exposure to pornographic material

psychological or emotional abuse: including belittling, name calling, threats of harm, intimidation, isolation

financial or material abuse: including stealing, selling assets, fraud, misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions, or benefits

neglect and acts of omission: including withholding the necessities of life such as medication, food or warmth, ignoring medical or physical care needs

discriminatory abuse: including racist, sexist, that based on a person’s disability and other forms of harassment, slurs or similar treatment

institutional or organizational: including regimented routines and cultures, unsafe practices, lack of person-centered care or treatment

Abuse may be carried out deliberately or unknowingly. Abuse may be a single act or repeated acts.
People who behave abusively come from all backgrounds and walks of life. They may be doctors, nurses, social workers, advocates, staff members, volunteers or others in a position of trust. They may also be relatives, friends, neighbours or people who use the same services as the person experiencing abuse.

Designated Named Person for safeguarding adults

Rosebery Centre has an appointed individual who is responsible for dealing with any Safeguarding Adults concerns. In their absence, a deputy will be available for workers to consult with. The Designated Named Person(s) for Safeguarding Adults within Rosebery Centre Anne Marson

Designated Named Person for Safeguarding Adults Anne Marson

Work Telephone number 01506-870651

Name of deputy person Linda Thomson

Work telephone number 01506-870651

Should either of these named people be unavailable then management committee members, trustees, staff or volunteers should contact Adult Social Care Direct directly. See below for contact details.

The roles and responsibilities of the named person(s) are:

to ensure that all staff including volunteers and trustees are aware of what they should do and who they should go to if they have concerns that a vulnerable adult may be experiencing, or has experienced abuse or neglect.
to ensure that concerns are acted on, clearly recorded and referred to an Adult Social Care Direct team or to the allocated social worker/care manager where necessary.
to follow up any referrals and ensure the issues have been addressed.
consider any recommendations from the Safeguarding Adults process
to reinforce the utmost need for confidentiality and to ensure that staff and volunteers are adhering to good practice with regard to confidentiality and security. This is because it is around the time that a person starts to challenge abuse that the risks of increasing intensity of abuse are greatest.
to ensure that staff and volunteers working directly with service users who have experienced abuse, or who are experiencing abuse, are well supported and receive appropriate supervision.
if appropriate staff or volunteers will be given support and afforded protection if necessary under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998: they will be dealt with in a fair and equitable manner and they will be kept informed of any action that has been taken and it’s outcome

Responding to people who have experienced or are experiencing abuse

Rosebery Centre recognises that it has a duty to act on reports, or suspicions of abuse or neglect. It also acknowledges that taking action in cases of adult abuse is never easy.

How to respond if you receive an allegation:

Reassure the person concerned
Listen to what they are saying
Record what you have been told/witnessed as soon as possible
Remain calm and do not show shock or disbelief
Tell them that the information will be treated seriously
Don’t start to investigate or ask detailed or probing questions
Don’t promise to keep it a secret

If you witness abuse or abuse has just taken place the priorities will be:

To call an ambulance if required
To call the police if a crime has been committed
To preserve evidence
To keep yourself, staff, volunteers and service users safe
To inform the Designated Named Person in your organisation
To record what happened in a file that is kept in locked filling cabinet in Managers office

All situations of abuse or alleged abuse will be discussed with the Designated Named Person or their deputy. If a member of the management committee, a trustee, staff member or volunteer feels unable to raise this concern with the Designated Named Person or their deputy then concerns can be raised directly with Adult Social Care Direct. The alleged victim will be told that this will happen. This stage is called the alert.

If it is appropriate and there is consent from the individual, or there is a good reason to override consent, such as risk to others, a referral (alert) will be made to Adult Social Care Direct team.

If the individual experiencing abuse does not have capacity to consent a referral will be made without that person’s consent, in their best interests.

The Designated Named Person may take advice at the above stage from Adult Social Care Direct and/or the Safeguarding Adults Unit and/or other advice giving organisations such as Police.

Adult Social Care Direct

Phone: 0131 200 2324

Email socialcaredirect@edinburgh.gov.uk

Available: Monday to Thursday 8.30am-5pm

Friday 8.30am-3.55pm

Safeguarding Adults Unit

Phone: 01506 284700

Available: Monday to Friday 8.30am-5pm In emergency call 999

Livingston Police

Phone: 01506 431200

(ask for Local Area Police Station or Public Protection Unit)

Raising a Safeguarding Adults Alert

All safeguarding adults’ alerts (referrals) should be made by telephone to West Lothian Health & Social Partnership

Phone: 01506 284700

In an emergency situation outside of these times please contact the Emergency Duty team on 01506 281028/ 281029

You should ask to make a safeguarding adults alert.

The telephone call should be followed up in writing to the Adult Social Care Direct team outlining concerns using a Safeguarding Adults Multi-Agency Alert form (SAMA1). This form can be found at the end of these procedures (Appendix 1) and also at www.westlothianchcp.org.uk This should be faxed to Adult Social Care Direct team after ensuring that the fax is in a safe haven by confirming the fax number and ringing after sending to ensure its safe arrival or sent by secured post in a double envelope – marked strictly confidential.

Suspected or actual abuse

Immediate threat or crime committed?

Contact Police or Emergency Services

Inform Designated Named Person or their Deputy

Alert made to Adult Social Care Direct via telephone and then using SAMA1 form

A Safeguarding Adults Manager (a Team Manager from Adult and Culture Services) will then decide if the safeguarding process should be instigated or if other support/services are appropriate. Feedback will be given to the person who raised the safeguarding adults alert.

If the Safeguarding Adults Manager decides the safeguarding process needs to be instigated this will then lead to the implementation of the next stages of the Newcastle Safeguarding Adults Board Multi-Agency Policy and Procedures. (Please see Appendix 2 for an overview of the multi-agency procedure)

The Designated Named Person will have an overview of this process so they can explain it to the person concerned and offer all relevant support to the person and process. This could be practical support e.g. providing a venue, or information and reports and emotional support.

Information should be provided to the individual. This could be about other sources of help or information that could enable them to decide what to do about their experience, enable them to recover from their experience and enable them to seek justice.

Managing allegation made against member of staff or volunteer

Rosebery Centre will ensure that any allegations made against members or member of staff will be dealt with swiftly.

Where a member of staff/volunteer is thought to have committed a criminal offence the police will be informed. If a crime has been witnessed the police should be contacted immediately.

The safety of the individual(s) concerned is paramount. A risk assessment must be undertaken immediately to assess the level of risk to all service users posed by the alleged perpetrator. This will include whether it is safe for them to continue in their role or any other role within the service whilst the investigation is undertaken.

The Designated Named Person will liaise with Adult Social Care Direct to discuss the best course of action and to ensure that the Rosebery Centre disciplinary procedures are coordinated with any other enquiries taking place as part of the ongoing management of the allegation.Rosebery Centre has a whistle blowing policy and staff are aware of this policy. Staff will be supported to use this policy.

Recording and managing confidential information

Rosebery Centre is committed to maintaining confidentiality wherever possible and information around Safeguarding Adults issues should be shared only with those who need to know. For further information, please see Rosebery Centre confidentiality policy.

All allegations/concerns should be recorded in a log book and stored within the filling cabinet in Managers office. The information should be factual and not based on opinions, record what the person tells you, what you have seen and witnesses if appropriate.

The information that is recorded will be kept secure and will comply with data protection.

This information will be secured in a locked filing cabinet Access to this information will be restricted to the Designated Named Person and Deputy

Disseminating/Reviewing policy and procedures

This Safeguarding Adults Policy and Procedure will be clearly communicated to staff, trustees, volunteers, service users, parents and carers. The Designated Named Person will be responsible for ensuring that this is done.

The Safeguarding Adults Policy and Procedures will be reviewed annually by the Management Committee. The Designated Named Person for Safeguarding Adults will be involved in this process and can recommend any changes. The Designated Named Person will also ensure that any changes are clearly communicated to staff, trustees and volunteers. It may be appropriate to involve service users in the review and service users and parents/carers need to be informed of any significant changes

Appendix 1

Safeguarding Adults Multi-agency Alert Form

Reference: SAMA1

This form is to be used to notify Adult and Culture Services Directorate/ Adult Social Care Direct Team of any suspected or actual instances of abuse. Phone 01506 2840700 (8.30am -5.00 pm) or 01506 281028/ 281029 after 5.00pm

Person completing the form:

Organisation Name:

Service / Ward Name:

Phone contact details:

Date of Notification to Adult Social Care Direct:

Details of incident/suspected or actual abuse

To be completed by the manager or lead officer within the organisation responsible for safeguarding adults

Date of alleged incident/harm:

Time of alleged incident/harm:

Area where incident/harm took place:

Who reported the alert:

Date:

Who was involved:

Details of Alleged Victim

Name:

Address:

Date of Birth:

Phone :

Name and address of GP:

Ethnic Origin:

Nature of alleged victims’ vulnerability:

Any other details (e.g. communication needs):

Details of Alleged Perpetrator

Name :

Address:

Date of Birth:

Phone Contact:

If the alleged perpetrator is a staff member please provide staff details (E.g. job role, employer, address of place of work)

Ethnic Origin:

Relationship to victim:

Are they a vulnerable adult? Yes/No

Alleged perpetrators vulnerability (if applicable):

Any other details:

Have you made the victim aware that details of the incident are being recorded and will be investigated:

Yes/No

If not, why not?

Type of Abuse (Please tick one or more)

✓
Sexual		Physical
Emotional		Neglect or omission
Psychological		Financial/Material
Discriminatory Abuse		Institutional
Other i.e. suspicious death of a service user

Description of alleged incident / alleged harm, detailing all people involved including witnesses

On this page please give a detailed description of the incident (please include times) and any other comments you feel are relevant. If necessary attach further pages.

What action did you take immediately after the incident/allegation of harm (E.g. administered first aid, asked perpetrator to leave, took victim to secure area)

Were the Police called: Yes / No

Were any other emergency services called: If yes, which service(s)? Yes / No

Names and badge numbers of Police:

Outcome: (Response time, taken to hospital etc)

Are there any other Agencies involved? Yes/No

Please provide details of agencies:

Are there any capacity issues?

Yes/ No

Please provide details:

Has the victim made any previous referrals/alerts? Yes/No

Please provide details (e.g. dates, type of abuse):

Is the victim in immediate danger of further abuse? Yes/No

Have any immediate actions been identified to reduce the potential for further abuse? Yes/No

Has an initial assessment been made to determine further potential risk to the victim? Yes/No

What actions have been taken to reduce the potential for further abuse?

Are there any risks to others? Yes/No (Vulnerable adults, children)

Please provide details (include who this information has been shared with – e.g. Children’s Social Care, Police):

Signed:

Date:

Time:

This form must be sent to the Adult Social Care Direct team / or allocated social worker within 24 hours of the suspected or actual abuse, or as soon as possible after being made aware.

This form can be faxed: 0191 278 8312.

This must be accompanied a phone call to the Adult Social Care Direct Team (0191 278 8377)/allocated social worker advising alert is being sent.

This is a confidential document and should be stored securely according to your own organization’s procedures. It is your responsibility to ensure that this is done.

Decision by Safeguarding Manager (Adult and Culture Services Directorate Only) Safeguarding Alert Yes / No

If No – please give reasons for decision

Appendix 2

Decision and strategy stage

Alert to inter-agency procedures (within 24 hours of incident)

Complete multi-agency alert form (SAMA1)

Initial information gathering and safeguarding decision within 24 hours. Complete SANA1 form

Protection issues resolved?

Allegation unfounded?

Strategy meeting or discussion required?

Strategy meeting or discussion within 7 days of alert

Inter-agency procedures end

YES

Strategy and Protection Plan Stage

Strategy meeting/discussion. Complete SASD1 form after meeting/discussion.

Contact Police

Police intervention required?

Allocate responsibilities/ agree initial protection plan

Protection Plan meeting required? Within 28 days of strategy meeting

Convene Protection Plan Meeting. Complete SAPP1 form