to the SEVENTH edition of the Solihull Safeguarding Adults Newsletter which will
keep you up to date with local and national developments in relation to
safeguarding adults on a quarterly basis.
• New Department of Health policies and consultations
• The Care Bill
WelcomeSome of the items in this edition:
Board & Sub Committee News
Did you know?The Solihull Safeguarding Adults Board is now on Twitter??
Follow us! Twitter.com/Solihullsab.
We are also on Facebook – find us under Solihull Safeguarding Adults Board.
Solihull Safeguarding Adults BoardFollowing the Board Development event in January 2014, the Board has made the decision to adopt two priorities for
2014/15. The Board will prioritise service user engagement and involvement and will establish a Quality Assurance
Framework to support learning, the identification of Board priorities and provide the Board with assurance that the
constituent partner organisations have effective systems, structures, processes and practice in place to improve
outcomes and experience in the context of safeguard adults at risk. The workplans for 2014/15 for all five sub
committees have been signed off by the Board. The Board is making preparations for work required to implement the
Care Bill. The Board has appointed Sue Nicholls, Chief Nurse, Solihull CCG as the Vice Chair, following the departure of
Fiona Burton from HoEFT.
Quality & Audit Sub CommitteeThe group are overseeing a Quality framework for
Nursing Homes. If successful, this will be rolled out for
Care Homes and other care settings. Also, should an
SSAB Risk Register be approved, this group will monitor
the actions and enforcement of this. Following the audit
of Protection Plans last year, a revised Local Practice
Guidance is being written.
Operational Sub CommitteeFollowing the departure of Sharon Bailey, Fiona McGill,
Assistant Director, Adult Social Care, has taken up the
role of Chair for this group. Two West Midlands Regional
Safeguarding projects have been brought forward to this
year’s workplan, as they have still not been finalised.
Person in a Position of Trust, and Equality & Diversity.
MCA/LISG Sub CommitteeThe Local Practice Guidance on MCA/DOLS has been
signed off by the Board. You can view the new Guidance
here. This financial year, the IMCA service will be
provided by Solihull Action Through Advocacy. The group
wishes to thank PoHWER for the IMCA services they
have provided in the past and their valuable contribution
to this sub committee.
Prevention Sub CommitteeThe results from the survey undertaken to gain an insight into what should be included in the Prevention Strategy have
now been collated and incorporated into a final draft. Two Experts by Experience have been recruited to sit on this sub
committee, which is very positive. The group are planning how to mark World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2014.
SSAB/LSCB Learning & Development
Sub Committee This sub committee now has a new Chair. It is Rosie
Luce, Designated Nurse - Safeguarding Children and
Adults, Mental Capacity Act & Prevent lead for Solihull
Clinical Commissioning Group. A small task and finish
group has been tasked to develop a Quality Assurance
programme in relation to Learning & Development. Each
meeting will review training attendance data.
Solihull Safeguarding Adults
newsletterMay 2014 Edition 7
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LOCAL NEWS
JOINT COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK
Agencies need their staff to be confident in recognising
and responding to both children and adult abuse when it
occurs. To support partner agencies in their safeguarding
training delivery both SSAB and LSCB boards have
approved a joint competency framework which provides
useful guidance in supervision, appraisal and training
provision. It aims to promote a ‘think family’ discussion
and to identify any gaps in skills, knowledge and
competencies so that these gaps can be addressed
appropriately. This may include training, shadowing, peer
group discussions etc.
Please take note of the target audience for the different
levels of training (from induction/foundation through to
Level 4 strategic managers). This is designed to ensure
staff attend training which is appropriate to their
safeguarding roles and responsibilities. You can view
Joint Competency Framework here or by emailing the
Solihull Safeguarding Adults Board Business team at
The Solihull Safeguarding Adults Training Programme is now available on the SSAB website or by emailing the SSAB
business team on [email protected] . The training provision has been updated to reflect the key priorities of SSAB
this year i.e. service user involvement and quality assurance. There is also a focus on the promotion of service user
outcomes and mental capacity issues throughout all courses. The Level 2 courses are divided into core and topic
based modules. There are five core modules and they will be run in a sequence for staff who work with adults at risk
and who are actively involved in the safeguarding adults process. The topic based modules are for multi agency staff
and reflect topical issues, local and national safeguarding subjects and legislative changes.
Who does what in Care HomesOur next provider event is aimed at managers of Care homes and Nursing homes and will focus on the roles and
responsibilities of key officers and agencies who visit care/nursing homes to inspect/regulate and offer guidance and
support for best care practices. Speakers and workshops include CQC, care quality team, health and safety, fire
service, tissue viability, medicines management and best interest assessors. For further information and to book
places please email: [email protected]
The Solihull Safeguarding Adults Board continues to work with University of Birmingham
who have already produced an interim report on the progress of SMBC adult care teams
are making in promoting an outcomes based approach in all stages of safeguarding
adults investigations. The report highlights a positive response to this work by
practitioners and includes a social worker’s quote: “It has taken me right back to my
social work values”. We will continue to integrate this service user outcomes approach
throughout this year’s training events and plan to share this learning with our partner
agencies and produce guidance to support this work across Solihull.
MAKING SAFEGUARDING PERSONAL
SSAB TRAINING PROGRAMME FOR 2014/15
WE TRUST YOU TO CARE CONFERENCE 19th JUNE 2014
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LOCAL NEWS
The Safeguarding Adults Board hosted a well attended multi-agency conference on March 14th. The aim of the
conference was to raise awareness of the prevalence of financial abuse locally and nationally and to consider
ways of working together to prevent the financial abuse of adults at risk in particular. Speakers included Gary
Fitzgerald (CEO Action on Elder Abuse ) Sally Bourner (Chief Superintendent West Midlands Police, The Wilkes
legal partnership, The Coventry Building Society and SMBC trading standards. Our local acting group presented
delegates with an excellent financial abuse scenario which was really well received – well done Advo-acts!
We would like to thank speakers and Partner agencies who provided excellent workshops for delegates
throughout the day.
MULTI-AGENCY FINANCIAL ABUSE CONFERENCE – 14TH MARCH 2014
L-R Sally Bourner, Sue Walton, JeremyPatton, Joan McHugh, Gary Fitzgerald
Advo-acts Drama Group
L-R Sue Walton, Rachel Gee (CoventryBuilding Society), Joan McHugh
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NATIONAL NEWS
THE CARE BILLThe Care Bill sets out the first ever statutory framework for
adult safeguarding, which stipulates local authorities’
responsibilities, and those with whom they work, to protect
adults at risk of abuse or neglect. It has successfully
completed its passage through the House of Commons
and will now return to the Lords, where Peers will agree
any final amendments, before becoming law and being
implemented from 2015.
The statutory framework will require local authorities to
ensure enquiries are made into allegations of abuse or
neglect which includes cases where abuse or neglect has
occurred in the past. Local authorities will also be required
to establish a Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB) in
their area.
Safeguarding Adults Boards will be required to produce a
strategic plan, on which it must report progress annually.
SABs will, where they know or suspect that serious abuse
or neglect has contributed to the death or serious harm of
an individual, and there is reasonable cause for concern
about how SAB members or other persons with relevant
care and support functions acted, then be required to
carry out a safeguarding adult review. The aim of the
safeguarding adult review will be to learn lessons on how
to prevent such occurrences in the future. SABs do have
the power to undertake reviews in other circumstances if
they so choose.
The Care Bill will repeal the local authority’s power to
remove a person from his or her home in certain
circumstances and will not be including a right or power
of entry.
DoH – NEW POLICIES In April 2014, The Department of Health issued three Policy documents, following consultation by the Royal College of
Nursing around minimisation of and alternatives to restrictive practices in health and adult social care, and special
schools. All three policies can be viewed on the DoH Website
DoH - CONSULTATIONS
Introducing Fundamental StandardsConsultation on proposals to change CQC registration regulations
In November 2013 when the Government published their full
response to the Francis Inquiry Report, they wanted people
to have confidence that they will be given the best and safest
care. They stated that throughout the health and care sector
people do receive safe, effective and compassionate care
delivered by dedicated staff, but people also need the
confidence that wherever they experience care, standards
will not be allowed to fall below what we expect.
The Francis Report recommended the introduction of new
Fundamental Standards (below) which care should never fall
short of, covering those basic things that everyone agrees
are important. The Government agreed with this
recommendation and in January 2014 the Department of
Health began a consultation period on draft new regulations
that will introduce the Fundamental Standards. These
standards will be at the foundation of a system that promotes
care that is safe, high quality, and puts patients first. They
should be easy for all to understand, and give the Care
Quality Commission the power to take swift action where
they are not being met. In summary, they are:
(a) care and treatment must reflect service users’ needs and
preferences;
(b) service users must be treated with dignity and respect;
(c) care and treatment must only be provided with consent;
(d) all care and treatment provided must be
appropriate and safe;
(e) service users must not be subject to abuse;
(f) service users’ nutritional needs must be met;
(g) all premises and equipment used must be safe,
clean, secure, suitable for the purpose for which
they are being used, and properly used and
maintained;
(h) complaints must be appropriately investigated and
appropriate action taken in response;
(i) systems and processes must be established to
ensure compliance with these Fundamental
Standards;
(j) sufficient numbers of suitably qualified, skilled and
experienced staff must be deployed to meet these
standards;
(k) persons employed must be of good character, have
the necessary qualifications, skills and experience,
and be capable of performing the work for which
they are employed.
The consultation period ran for 10 weeks, closing on
4th April 2014 with the implementation date due to be
1st October 2014.
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NATIONAL NEWS
Following the Inquiry into the events at Mid Staffordshire
NHS Foundation Trust chaired by Robert Francis QC the
National Advisory Group on the Safety of Patients in
England (“the National Advisory Group”) was established
and they identified a small but significant gap in existing
legislation.
Currently there are specific criminal offences which
address willful ill-treatment or neglect of children, and ill-
treatment or willful neglect of adults who lack capacity or
those subject to the Mental Health Act 1983, at the hands
of those entrusted with their care. However, there is no
equivalent specific offence in relation to adults with full
capacity.
The National Advisory Group therefore recommended the
creation of a new statutory offence for those “found guilty
of willful or reckless neglect or mistreatment of patients”.
Its view was that this new offence, corresponding to similar
offences that already exist, would act as a deterrent and,
more importantly, place the ill-treatment or willful neglect of
all patients on an equal footing in terms of the sanctions
available.
The Government in November 2013 accepted the National
Advisory Group’s recommendation and in February this
year they began a consultation process on a new “general
offence of willful or reckless neglect or mistreatment”
which:
• may be committed by both organisations and
individuals;
• applies where the individual or organisation willfully
neglects or ill-treats someone in a way that causes
serious harm or death; and
• creates penalties for the offence which are equivalent to
those under section 44 of the Mental Capacity Act
2005.
Neglect is willful if it is “intentional, reckless or reflects a
‘couldn’t care less attitude’ ”.
The consultation was asking if:
• the new offence should apply in all formal adult health
and social care settings, in both the public and private
sectors?
• that only formal health and social care arrangements,
as described above, should be within scope of this
offence?
• that the new criminal offence should focus entirely on
the conduct of the provider/practitioner, rather than any
consideration of the harm caused to the victim of
the offence?
• that an approach based on the way in which an
organisation managed or organised its activities is the
best, most effective way to establish the offence in
respect of organisations?
• that penalties for individuals convicted of this offence
should mirror those set out in section 44 of the Mental
Capacity Act 2005?
• sanctions in relation to organisation might include:
o removal of the organisation’s leaders and their
disqualification from future leadership roles;
o public reprimand of the organisation; and
o in extremis, financial sanctions, but only where
that will not compromise patient care.
The consultation period ran for one month closing on
31 March 2014
DoH - CONSULTATIONS
New offence of ill-treatment or willful neglect
The Department of Health When it published Hard Truths
in November 2013, said that they wanted people to have
confidence that they will be given the best and safest
care. They stated there “is now a real commitment to
greater openness and candour, to developing a culture
dedicated to learning and improvement that continually
strives to reduce avoidable harm”.
So in March 2014 a consultation period began on a
proposed addition to the requirements for registration with
the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in order to introduce
a statutory Duty of Candour on all providers registered
with the CQC.
The introduction of a statutory Duty of Candour is a major
step towards implementing a key recommendation from
the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry
DoH - CONSULTATIONS
Introducing the Statutory Duty of Candour A consultation on proposals to introduce a new CQC registration regulation
(the Francis Inquiry). The Duty of Candour will place a
requirement on providers of health and adult social care to
be open with patients when things go wrong. Providers
should establish the duty throughout their organisations,
ensuring that honesty and transparency are the norm in
every organisation registered by the CQC.
The Duty of Candour will be part of the new set of
registration requirements that together will set out the
clear outcomes that providers must meet, which will be
core to good service provision.
The consultation period ran for 4 weeks, closing on 25th
April 2014 with the implementation date due to be 1st
October 2014. The Publications can be found on the
DoH website.
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Solihull Council employees can book on to these courses/events through Oracle Self Serve. For any other agency, please
complete a training booking form found on the Safeguarding Adults Training Page of the website and send to
[email protected] or fax to 0121 788 4414.
Contacts:
Sue Walton
SSAB Business Manager
0121 788 4392
Joan McHugh
SSAB Development Manager
0121 788 4385
Lyn Skipp
PA to SSAB/SSAB Business Manager
0121 788 4390
Ben Gorman
SSAB Team Administrator
0121 788 4387
Did you know?Did you know? At least 1,000 hospital patients are dying needlessly each month from dehydration and poor
care by doctors and nurses, according to an NHS study. Up to 40,000 patients die annually because hospital
staff fail to diagnose a treatable kidney problem, a figure that dwarfs the death toll from superbugs like MRSA.
Upcoming training and workshops:
Date Course Time/s
Level 2 Core Module 1:
Law in Relation to Safeguarding AdultsTuesday 22nd April 2014 9:30 - 4:30
Level 2 Core Module 2:
Safeguarding Adults Policies and ProceduresThursday 15th May 2014 9:30 - 4:30
Level 2 Core Module 3:
Supporting Effective InvestigationsTuesday 24th June 2014 9:30 - 4:30
Level 2 Core Module 4:
Safeguarding Meetings and Case ConferencesThursday 17th July 2014 9:30 - 4:30
Level 2 Core Module 5:
Investigation SkillsWednesday 3rd September 2014 9:30 - 4:30
More courses being commissioned as the programme evolves
To report abuse
please call 0121 704 8007 (Office Hours)
Emergency Duty Team on 0121 605 6060 (Out of Hours) or
Email [email protected] or via our website www.solihull.gov.uk/adultabuse
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