Agenda item

West of Berkshire Safeguarding Adults Board Annual report

To receive the West of Berkshire Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report.

Minutes:

The Service Manager, Adult Safeguarding and the Director of Health and Wellbeing took the Board through the West of Berkshire Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report.

 

During the discussion of this item the following points were made:

 

·         With the introduction of the Care Act 2014, the Safeguarding Adults Board was now based on a legal framework.

·         The Service Manager, Adult Safeguarding highlighted Wokingham’s contribution to the Safeguarding Adults Board goals.  This included:

Ø  Care Act training had been delivered to adult social care front line staff, providers and forums, including information about the Board and its statutory responsibilities. 

Ø  The prevention worker in conjunction with the Chartered Trading Standards Institute had developed a toolkit for Trading Standards to aid understanding of Adult Safeguarding and provide examples of good practice.

Ø  A mandatory safeguarding e-learning module for staff had been developed.

Ø  The Wokingham Forum had continued, its profile had been raised and it now had 60 members.

Ø  Quality Assurance framework and audit programmes had been implemented to meet the requirements of the Care Act and Making Safeguarding Personal.  Performance information was reported quarterly to management teams.

Ø  Awareness of the Safeguarding Adults Board was being raised.

Ø  The promotion of the Safer Places Scheme.  There had been a drop in the number of participating premises with the closure of several businesses.  Further venues would be identified next year.

Ø  Good outcomes had been achieved by the ‘Choice Champions’ project.

Ø  Members of Wokingham’s CLASP (Caring Listening and Supporting Partnership) had supported the production of ‘easy read’ formats for awareness raising publicity material.

Ø  The findings of two Safeguarding Adults Reviews had been delivered by Wokingham.

·         During 2014-15 there were 868 safeguarding alerts of which 499 were referred.  61% of referrals started in the year were for females and 39% were for males.  In 2014-15, 71% of referrals were from people aged 65 years or over, an increase from the previous year where 62% of referrals were from the 65+ age group.

·         Neglect and physical abuse were the most common types of alleged abuse.  Reports of financial abuse were lower than the national average. 

·         It was noted that care homes were the second highest location of alleged abuse. 

·         Councillor Bray questioned why Wokingham had a greater number of requests for Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and a higher proportion of requests authorised, than either Reading or West Berkshire.  The Director of Health and Wellbeing commented that Wokingham had a greater number of care homes than its neighbouring authorities.  A lot of work regarding safeguarding had been carried out with the care homes, the CQC and partnership organisations and reporting rates were good.  In addition assessment timescales were being met.

·         With regards to alleged cases of sexual abuse, Rob France questioned how many of the cases had become criminal cases and was informed that it was hopefully all cases.

·         Board members discussed how awareness of the Safeguarding Adults Board could be further raised.  The Director of Health and Wellbeing suggested that the shape of the Safeguarding Adults Board be discussed at a future meeting.

 

RESOLVED:  That the West of Berkshire Safeguarding Adult Board Annual Report be noted.

Supporting documents: