2. Adults at Risk and Safeguarding

Safeguarding Adults Policy

1. Purpose

Healthwatch Brighton and Hove has a responsibility to ensure that abuse or neglect of adults at risk, when suspected or discovered by its staff, Directors or volunteers, is recognised and responded to appropriately. This policy sets out the means by which this will be achieved and is based on the Sussex Safeguarding Adults Policy and Procedure.

2. Adults at risk and safeguarding

2.1 An ‘adult at risk’ is defined as “an adult who has needs for care and support”.

2.2 The local authority’s safeguarding duty applies to an adult at risk who:

“is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect”; and

“as a result of [their] care or support needs is unable to protect themselves from [that] risk or experience”.1

2.3 The definition also includes self-neglect.

3. Training

3.1 Any staff member, Director or volunteer whose work involves direct contact with adults at risk will be required to attend Brighton and Hove City Council’s Safeguarding Adults Basic Awareness course as soon as possible after the commencement of their duties, and the update course every three years following that. Comparable courses run by other local authorities may be accepted as substitutes.

3.2 A record of attendance at this training will be held in the personnel record of the person concerned.

3.3 Awareness and understanding of this policy will form part of the induction process for all new members of staff, Directors and volunteers.

3.4 Safeguarding will be an element of role-specific induction training for all Enter and View Authorised Representatives and Helpline volunteers.

3.5 Training will be kept under review to ensure it complies with the latest legislation and best practice guidance.

4. Safe Recruitment

4.1 DBS checks will be undertaken for all staff and volunteers when and if essential and appropriate to their role.

5. Raising safeguarding concerns

1 Sussex Safeguarding Adults Policy and Procedures, Edition 1, Brighton and Hove, East Sussex and West Sussex Safeguarding Adults Boards, April 2015, p.213

H/Policies and procedures/Safeguarding Adults Policy Created: 21.09.16 Reviewed: Next review: 21.09.17 5.1 If a member of staff, Director or volunteer (the discoverer), in the course of their work for Healthwatch Brighton and Hove, suspects or discovers abuse or neglect of an adult at risk, they should report this using the procedure set out below.

5.2 Emergencies

If the adult at risk appears to be in immediate danger, or it appears that a crime has been committed, the discoverer should contact the emergency services. They should then contact the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at the earliest opportunity and report all relevant details. The CEO will contact Brighton and Hove City Council Adult Social Services without delay.

5.3 Non-emergencies

5.3.1 If the discoverer is a volunteer, and there appears to be no immediate danger, and no crime committed, they should contact their line manager at the earliest opportunity and report all relevant details. The line manager should then contact the CEO at the earliest opportunity and report all relevant details.

5.3.2 If the discoverer is a member of staff (other than the CEO) or a Director, and there appears to be no immediate danger, and no crime committed, they should contact the CEO at the earliest opportunity and report all relevant details.

5.3.3 The CEO will, where it is practicable and appropriate, ask the adult concerned

(a) whether they see the issue as a cause for concern or not; and

(b) what they want to happen, if anything.2

5.3.4 The CEO will make a decision about whether or not to raise the matter as a safeguarding issue, and will contact Brighton and Hove City Council Adult Social Services if s/he thinks it should be raised, or to seek advice.

5.4 All actions taken under section 5 should be carefully recorded by the CEO.

5.5 It is the responsibility of the CEO to ensure that all safeguarding concerns are properly reported to the appropriate person or agency.

5.6 In the absence of the CEO, the Evidence and Insight Manager will deputise.

6. Review of Policy

This policy will be reviewed annually by the HWB&H Policy Working Group with input from the Safeguarding Advisor. Reviews may also be triggered in the light of an incident.

2 The Chief Executive Officer should be conversant with the guidance on having this conversation as set out in the local authority safeguarding policy (op. cit. pp.59-64).