The Sub-Committee will receive a presentation on safeguarding in Havering.
Minutes:
The Sub-Committee were given a presentation on Safeguarding Adults in Havering. It was noted that the Care Act and Making Safeguarding Personal put the user at the centre of safeguarding planning with a multi-agency approach. A Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB) was on a firm footing, it had been strengthened and had become more strategic over the past year. Members noted that the Board was attended by Chief Officers from all partners.
The Sub-Committee noted that a Local Safeguarding Adults protocol had been launched in line with Pan-London. A practitioner group had been set up and practitioners were actively encouraged to participate and identify cases/ issues for discussion. It was also noted that public awareness of safeguarding had increased.
There were a number of areas where the Adults Safeguarding Team wished to move forward. These included
· A review of the Business Plan to ensure consistency with Local Safeguarding Children Board Plan
· The creation of a supporting Operational Group and rationalisation of sub-groups
· Consultation with community groups, Voluntary Sector and Healthwatch to ensure that residents and stakeholders have their say about safeguarding and their priorities
· Permanent recruitment into the Safeguarding Adults Service Manager, as this was currently a temporary post
· Development of a Family Group Conferencing in Adult Services, as this had proved very successful in Childrens Services.
Officers explained that Adults can make a choice about their lives, if they have the capacity Adult Social Care will support the individual in their preference and choice. If an individual does not have the capacity, then the Deprivation of Liberties and Mental Capacity Act comes into play. Support is then given to the family and friends of the individual.
The Sub-Committee noted the results of two audits that had been undertaken. Concerns were raised as to the lack of communication and recording that have been undertaken. Officers stated that the next audit would be taking place in May 2015. The Sub-Committee would like the results of that audit.
Performance information was explained. Members noted that there had been 458 Safeguarding alerts by the end of December 2014. Of these 54% had progressed to investigation. There were also 1840 welfare alerts, with an average of 25 investigations and 8 case conferences per month. Members were concerned at this number, however it was explained that numerous alerts could be received for the same individual.
It was explained that neglect was the most common type of abuse, however this could be happening unwittingly, whereby an elderly couple live together, the husband has dementia and the wife is the carer. The wife may neglect herself in trying to care for her husband.
Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) was explained to the sub-committee. A recent court decision had provided a definition of what is meant by the term. A deprivation of liberty occurs when:
“the person is under continuous supervision and control and is not free to leave, and the person lacks capacity to consent to these arrangements.”
The Care Quality Commission had been looking at DoLS and where they had been applied for. Due to this there have been a large number of best interest assessments having to be carried out. In 2013/14 there were 33 this has increased in 2014/15 to 370. As well as new best interest assessments, all outstanding assessments need to be reviewed. This has increase the workload. The best interest assessment must be carried out by someone who is not involved in that person’s care or in making any other decision about it and must be a qualified social worker, nurse, occupational therapist or chartered psycohologist with the appropriate training and experience.
Members asked how long a best interest assessment takes. Officer stated that in order to conduct all interviews of family and carers and to get all the relevant information collated would take approximate one day. It was felt that the figure was now fairly stable, however reviews would still need to be carried out. There were approximately 60 referrals a day, not all would need an assessment.
A discussion was had about care homes in the borough and if the level of wages was a factor in neglect, as staff were not as caring as in the past. Officers stated that there were 40 care homes and 40 Learning Disability home in the borough, all of whom paid the national minimum wage and provided training. There were no homes in Havering with a poor CQC rating and regular meetings were held on all care homes with Havering HealthWatch and other partners. Havering had robust measures in dealing with safeguarding in care homes. In the past a care home that was not up to was suspended, the provider was informed and the residents were moved to an alternative home.
The Sub-Committee thanked the officer for a very informative presentation.