Issue - meetings

To receive the 2020/21 Annual Report of the Local Safeguarding Adults Board.

The Committee received the annual report of the Local Safeguarding Adults Board 2021/2022. The Local Safeguarding Adults Board Independent chair, Geoffrey Appleton had recently stepped down and the Board had appointed Kevin Bennett as the new chair. The Committee welcomed Kevin to the meeting

and requested that a letter from the Committee be sent to the outgoing chair, Geoffrey Appleton, thanking him for all of his hard work during his time as chair of the board.

The report included the work that had taken place in 2021/22 which included the impact of covid-19, adults safeguarding training and performance activity. The numbers of safeguarding adult review referrals (SARs) had increased during the pandemic which was the national picture, specifically cases around self-neglect. The patterns seen throughout 2021/22 continued to be seen in 2022/23 which included an increase in safeguarding referrals, SARs and domestic homicide reviews.

Preparation was underway for Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection of adult social care which would commence from October onwards.

Following questions and comments from members, officers reported that

-       The board had received reports from the communities team regarding the hotels, the Afghan refugees, Homes for Ukraine and asylum seekers and from an operational perspective officers had visited those hotels to address any issues around the different cultures and addressed any safeguarding needs.

-       More work was being undertaken to getting people registered as carers, so that officers were being more proactive and planning ahead rather than being reactive.

-       In the future it was hoped that an initiative around ‘Who will care when I’m gone?’ would be launched, specifically for parents of learning disabled and individuals who may have lived at home all their lives, who may not even be on the radar.

-       Domestic abuse did play a part in education within the Afghan hotels and the asylum seeker hotels.

-       any training would be included as part of the induction for new members following the elections in May.

-       In respect of asylum seekers if abuse or neglect was tangible the police would investigate in the first instance but the obligation of the board would be to look at learning.

The Board and the officers were thanked for all their hard work.

RESOLVED:

That the Local Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report 2020/21 be received and noted.

The Committee adjourned for a short break.