Safeguarding Children Declaration 2016

SEG 01/02/16 – Att 2

Merton Clinical Commissioning Group (MCCG) is committed to protecting and safeguarding children and young people. The safety and welfare of children and young people who come into contact with our services either directly or indirectly is paramount and all staff have a responsibility to ensure that best practice is followed, including compliance with statutory requirements.

MCCG has taken all reasonable steps to promote safe practice and protect children and young people from harm, abuse and exploitation and are fully engaged in the work of the Merton Local Safeguarding Children Board. MCCG as a commissioner of health services is fully compliant with the Safeguarding Vulnerable People in the NHS – Accountability and Assurance Framework 2015.

Expectations of healthcare providers are clearly outlined within Safeguarding Vulnerable People in the NHS – Accountability and Assurance Framework 2015 and are embedded within all contracts. These also apply to those services commissioned by healthcare provider organisations. MCCG ensures that organisations commissioned to provide healthcare services have systems in place that safeguard children in line with section 11 of the Children Act 2004. This includes clear accessible policy and procedures, safer recruitment, training and governance systems, which are monitored by MCCG Designated Nurse and Doctor through the MCCG performance framework, and supervision of named professionals for safeguarding children.

Employing the right staff and meeting our statutory requirements in relation to the Disclosure and Barring Service employment checks and safeguarding children training.

MCCG meets statutory requirements in regard to Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks (previously known as a Criminal Records Bureau or CRB check). All eligible staff (as defined by NHS Employers) undergo robust employment checks prior to employment and those working with children, young people and adults at risk undergo an enhanced level of assessment. For staff currently employed by MCCG the DBS checks are repeated every 3 years.These functions and duties are managed through the Merton CCG HR function which is commissioned through NHS South East Commissioning Support Unit (CSU). SEG 01/02/16 – Att 2

Safeguarding children training in MCCG:

MCCG ensures all staff have competed relevant safeguarding training at a level appropriate to their role and this training is regularly reviewed and updated. Our position with regard to training of staff as of January 2016 is as follows:

Safeguarding Children Level 1 (all staff) 83% Level 4 (specialist safeguarding staff) 100%

Safeguarding children training MCCG commissioned services:

Healthcare providers commissioned by MCCG have a target of 80% compliance for all safeguarding children training. The NHS Trusts and private healthcare provider organisations delivering services to the residents of the London Borough of Merton provide evidence that their staff have completed relevant safeguarding training at a level appropriate to their role.

General practices and safeguarding children training:

NHS England (NHSE) has the duty to commission primary care services. MCCG has supported Merton GPs in achieving Level 3 safeguarding children training competencies by highlighting the MSCB training offer and the online training from the Royal College of General Practitioners.

The right safeguarding children professionals in post:

MCCG has in place a designated nurse and doctor whose responsibilities are clearly outlined within the relevant job descriptions. The designated nurse is employed for 1.0 WTE and the designated doctor: 0.2 WTE. The designated professionals are clear about their role and have sufficient time and support to undertake it

Child Protection and safeguarding supervision policies are up to date and reviewed annually:

MCCG is signed up to and adheres to the London Child Protection Procedures (2015) and the revised statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children (2015). MCCG is SEG 01/02/16 – Att 2

compliant with the Safeguarding Vulnerable People in the NHS – Accountability and Assurance Framework 2015 and requires commissioned health provider organisations demonstrate compliance through a quarterly reporting process on set safeguarding children indicators.

MCCG commissions services from provider organisations that are able to demonstrate effective systems and processes to identify and follow up children and young people who miss routine health appointments. The effective identification and management of ‘missed appointments’ is essential to ensure the health and wellbeing of the children and young people is promoted and as such is a required part of all safeguarding policies and procedures.

A process for the delivery and monitoring of safeguarding children supervision is included within the safeguarding children policies of the NHS Trusts that MCCG commission. The designated and named professionals receive safeguarding children supervision. Compliance safeguarding supervision is reported on the MCCG Governing Board.

The right governance arrangements in place:

The MCCG Governing Body reviews safeguarding across the organisation annually and has robust audit programmes to assure it that safeguarding systems and processes are working effectively to safeguard children and young people. There is an Executive Director Lead for Safeguarding Children (Chief Officer) and an Executive Management Lead for Safeguarding (Director of Quality). The Governing Body receives an annual report on safeguarding children.

The right clinical performance monitoring systems in place across all with all providers, including the independent sector

A robust safeguarding children performance monitoring framework is in place. Contracts are monitored and reviewed for quality. MCCG has reviewed the safeguarding children indicators in partnership with the local health economy. As a result a MCCG Safeguarding Children Dashboard is now in place and shared quarterly with Merton Safeguarding Children Board (MSCB).

General practices are commissioned by NHS England, however CCGs have been tasked with quality and service improvement within primary care. All GP Practices have a safeguarding lead and have been offered training. NHS England is now in the process of seeking to recruit a named GP in line with their commissioning responsibilities SEG 01/02/16 – Att 2

The safeguarding declarations from Provider Services are reviewed by the MCCG Designated Nurse Safeguarding Children on behalf of MCCG. A status report is shared with the MCCG Clinical Quality Committee in September each year.