Publications, Policies and Procedures
Adult Safeguarding Leaflets and Posters
Adult Safeguarding Posters - See it, Report it!
Adult Safeguarding Leaflet:
Infographic - It all Points to Prevention
Working with Fathers and Male Carer's Toolkit
A toolkit for professionals working with fathers and male carers.
Working with Fathers and Male Carer's Toolkit Checklist
A checklist that focusses professionals work when working with fathers and male carer's.
Working with Fathers and Male Carer's Toolkit Resources
A collection of resources for professionals working with fathers and male carer's in Lewisham.
LSAB Scams Easy Read Booklet
This booklet was made by Lewisham Speaking Up on behalf of the Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board.
Read and download the Scams Easy Read Booklet
New! LSAB Cuckooing A Brief Guide for Professionals
A brief guide for professionals including information on
- What is Cuckooing
- Common Indicators of Cuckooing
- What can I do to help make the adult safe?
- Relationship-Based Practices
- Person-Centred Interventions
- Partnership Working
- Advice for Submitting an Adult Safeguarding
Concern
- Support for Lewisham Professionals
Annual Reports
The Care Act 2014 requires each Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB) to publish an annual report.
The Care Act (Schedule 2.4 (1) a–g) defines the minimum content of an annual report.
As soon as is feasible after the end of each financial year, a SAB must publish a report on:
- What it has done during that year to achieve its objective,
- What it has done during that year to implement its strategy,
- What each member has done during that year to implement the strategy,
- The findings of the reviews arranged by it under section 44 (safeguarding adults reviews) which have concluded in that year (whether or not they began in that year),
- The reviews arranged by it under that section which are ongoing at the end of that year (whether or not they began in that year),
- What it has done during that year to implement the findings of reviews arranged by it under that section, and
- Where it decides during that year not to implement a finding of a review arranged by it under that section, the reasons for its decision.
- The performance of member agencies and how effectively, or otherwise, they are working together should be included in the report.
The annual report must be sent to:
- The Chief Executive and leader of the local authority which established the SAB.
- Any local Policing body that is required to sit on the SAB.
- The local Health Watch organisation.
- The Chair of the local Health and Wellbeing Board.
Annual reports should form the basis for the consultation on the strategic plan for the coming year.
A SAB should seek assurance from its members that the annual report has been considered within their internal governance processes.
LSAB Annual Report 2023-24
Message from the Independent Chair
“I would firstly like to thank and pay tribute to my predecessor Professor Michael Preston-Shoot. It is clear that I have inherited a well organised and high performing Board following his tenure”.
This is my first year as the independent Chair of the Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB) and I would firstly like to thank and pay tribute to my predecessor Professor Michael Preston-Shoot. It is clear that I have inherited a well organised and high performing Board following his tenure.
It has been a genuine pleasure to get to know the members of the Board during this past year, and I want to thank them for their welcome and their hard work. SABs bring together professionals from a range of agencies, and it requires skill, co-operation and a willingness to work together in order for a Board to function effectively. I have witnessed this in the highest order; a commitment to serve the residents of Lewisham to the best possible standards.
The Case Review Sub-Group has met on several occasions during the past year reviewing ten cases and managing four new SAR notifications. The Performance, Audit and Quality Sub-Group launched a new Information Sharing Agreement in January 2024 and also published an
Inter-Agency Escalation Policy. This Sub-Group is key to ensuring that learning from SARs are implemented in practice and it has been strengthened by some new members.
The Board also has excellent representation from people with lived experience. I am grateful for their willingness to serve, be heard, and to hold the Board to account for its actions.
Our understanding of domestic violence and the significant impact it has on women and girls continues to develop and this is why the Board has recommitted to making this a priority for 2024-25. We need to support the work on prevention and take urgent action to reduce the impact of this type of abuse.
We are also seeing a significant rise in the scale and type of frauds in society. This is something that affects us all, but it is the vulnerable who are most at risk as they are often less able to spot this. We co-produced an easy read guidance leaflet along with Lewisham Speaking Up and their service users. This will support the efforts to help prevent this type of crime within our local community.
This report also presents our priorities for the coming year. They are ambitious, and rightly so, as we continue to do all we can to help build safer and more resilient communities.
Finally, I would like to thank the Board’s Business Unit Team. They are simply amazing in delivering their significant administrative workload and keeping the SABs business moving forward by managing a wide range of actions plans. They also co-ordinate and deliver training, lead the work on policy development, along with the massive undertaking of managing the caseload of Safeguarding Adults Reviews.
Thank you.
Professor Keith Brown
Summary of Delivery in 2023-24
The Board continued to oversee the delivery of its strategic aims and objectives.
Key areas of work included:
Safeguarding Adults Reviews (SARs)
The Board continues to be busy with several notifications being submitted throughout the year. Details of the two published SARs from the reporting period and the Second National Analysis can be found below.
Learning and Development
The Board delivered over 40 learning activities during the last 12 months reaching a record number of participants. This included a focus on responding to sexual violence and awareness of neurodiversity, as well as a transitional safeguarding workshop which staff from the Business Unit helped to arrange.
Community Engagement
There were a number of events that were designed and delivered to engage members of the public and citizens who have lived experience of abuse and neglect. This included involvement with the Board’s development session. The feedback is used to help ensure that strategic priorities are relevant and to promote information to help with prevention.
Think Family
This was one of the key objectives for 2023-24 and involved a detailed project to develop some new guidance for the borough on this subject, as well as further toolkits to help support practitioners.
Self-Neglect
Important work continued throughout the year to develop new policy and procedures.
Statutory Advocacy
Advocacy is designed to empower people to have a voice if they are having difficulties taking part in the decision-making processes linked to health and social care matters.
This could be for a variety of reasons, including having a learning disability, mental or physical health issues, or being very elderly or frail.
“No decision about me, without me”.
Unfortunately this can be overlooked sometimes and we have relatively low use of our statutory advocacy services compared to other local boroughs:
The local authority can refer adults for advocacy support for any stage, of any of the following:
- s.9 Needs Assessment.
- s.10 Carer’s Assessment.
- s.25 The preparation of a Care and Support Plan or Support Plan.
- s.27 A review of Care and Support Plan or Support Plan.
- s.42 Safeguarding Enquiry.
- s.44 Safeguarding Adults Review (SAR).
Case Studies and Partners Work (All case studies have been anonymised.)
Metropolitan Police Service
Andrew first came to the attention of the police as a missing person several years ago and since then he has been reported missing multiple times. Andrew’s family have relayed their fears to Officers regarding his complex medical conditions and
other vulnerabilities. There have been occasions when Andrew has been found in the company of individuals known to have a criminal history, including drug dealers.
Andrew’s mental capacity is being reviewed and a therapeutic residential placement is being considered. It is hoped that a therapeutic setting, with the assistance of a chaperone in the community, will encourage Andrew to actively engage in key work sessions that could positively impact on improving his skills to enable him to live safely and independently in supported accommodation.
The Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board is currently leading on developing some tri-borough guidance to help improve the response to missing adults episodes.
NHS South East London (SEL) Integrated Care Board (ICB)
The SEL ICB Adult and Child Safeguarding Policy was refreshed by the Lewisham team in the last year and a Safeguarding Supervision Policy has been developed.
The SEL Safeguarding Team contributed to the presentation at the assessment panel in March 2024 which supported Lewisham in its re-accreditation as a Borough of Sanctuary. To support this there has been an enhanced primary care approach for asylum seekers in the Home Office provided accommodation in Lewisham, to identify and mitigate any health or safeguarding concerns. The team also continued to provide support to GP practices and third sector organisations who have queries in relation to complex safeguarding cases, and an audit of GP safeguarding procedures has also taken place.
Following a request by the LSAB Board a review and audit of fire policies and procedures in older people’s care homes was conducted, including observations of mock fire emergency situations. 100% of the recommendations from this review have been completed by care homes. SEL ICB staff continue to support the delivery of the Learning Disability Mortality Review (LeDeR) programme in Lewisham, which reports to the Lewisham Learning Disability & Autism Health Stakeholder group.
South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM)
Staff at SLaM have been working hard over the last 12 months to restructure and refresh the way safeguarding is managed in the trust. This has resulted in the successful recruitment of a number of new staff members into a central safeguarding team, with a lead in each borough, and specialist domestic abuse and exploitation workers. A new set of operating procedures has also been developed and safeguarding procedures updated.
Lewisham Council - Adult Social Care (ASC)
Adult A had a diagnosis of cognitive impairment and other morbidities. The case was discussed at a multi-agency case conference, and a Safeguarding Enquiry commenced, due to concerns that a family member was making inappropriate decisions about care arrangements. The adult was engaged and a referral to the statutory advocacy provider was made, before a transfer to a hospital outside of the borough. Following an assessment of mental capacity related to discharge destination, and further discussions, the adult left hospital into the care of his spouse with a relevant and comprehensive package of care and wider facilitated support.
Considering the decline in the adult’s cognitive ability and the fact this was unlikely to improve due to a diagnosis of vascular dementia. The adult would continue to be at risk of further neglect, acts of omission, and or psychological abuse. Despite this the Safeguarding Enquiry was closed at the initial stage as requested by the adult and their spouse (Making Safeguarding Personal), although the allocated Social Worker continues to monitor the case and review the package of care.
During the last 12 months developmental activities include:
- Extensive Safeguarding Enquiries in relation to some care homes in the borough.
- Delivery of action plans related to safeguarding audits.
- Establishment of a domestic abuse specialist worker’s role and improved joint working with the domestic abuse service provider (Refuge - Athena).
- ASC wide review of safeguarding processes and practice.
- Improved ways of working in the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MaSH).
Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust (LGT)
Simon has attended the Emergency Department (ED) at the Trust 49 times in the last two years. He usually attends in an intoxicated state. Members of the public often call the London Ambulance Service for him. At times, members of LGT staff have brought Simon into the ED when he has been found collapsed outside the hospital. He has often attended with injuries, sometimes following an assault. He has also attended with chest infections and chest pain. He has often been doubly incontinent at presentation he is often verbally aggressive to staff but has never been violent.
Simon often leaves the Emergency Departments before his assessment is complete.
Simon has also attended multiple hospitals across London in the same timeframe, and has several underlying and serious health conditions. Simon told a member of the adult safeguarding team that he was street homeless following childhood abuse and criminality, but that he does now have a room at a supported housing placement.
LGT staff have tried to refer Simon to the local authority by using safeguarding procedures, but as yet this has been unsuccessful as Simon is choosing not to engage (this case has been escalated). Staff have also referred Simon to the Lewisham High Intensity User Panel at which patients are discussed to make safety plans as well as linking them in with appropriate local services.
Despite the great work by LGT staff there is still a need to improve the multi-agency response to cases like this, and consider how best to support chronic dependent drinkers like Simon, where there are also obvious safeguarding risks.
Statutory reviews are now more closely monitored and tracked, and new ways of working implemented to strengthen individual supervision sessions for staff.
Learning, Training and Development
As outlined below the number of learning events being provided by the Board and therefore the numbers of participants has grown significantly over the last 4-5 years.
This has been strongly influenced by Covid-19 and the move to online working, and although there is a growing appetite from some for in-person activities, these are not as well attended as online events and are difficult to ‘sell out’ with high drop out rates being very common. The maximum capacity for arranging events based on available resources is also now being reached as illustrated by the graphs above.
The use of the LSAB website has almost doubled in the last 4 years which coincides with the launch of the local Adult Safeguarding Pathway in 2021, although growth is now slowing as we probably start to maximise its potential reach.
National Adult Safeguarding Awareness Week November 2023
The Board supported (and helped to plan) the programme of online activities that was delivered across London between 20 and 24 November 2023, which included a main conference which linked with in-person hubs that had been established in some boroughs. 2,000 professionals attended the online programme that covered a wide range of topics. The same approach will also be used in 2024, although it is hoped the numbers that attend will be significantly higher.
There were also a series of three in-person ‘listen and learn’ workshops delivered in Lewisham during that week which were designed to ensure that the voice of local citizen’s and professionals informs the work of the Board. These were really well received and attended by a total of 70 people.
Communication and Engagement
SCAMS Leaflet 
The Board were delighted to work with Lewisham Speaking Up again on this new easy read leaflet that was co-produced with their service users and published in the early part of 2024.
It is very detailed and covers all of the information that members of the public need to be able to identify the different types of SCAMS, how this can happen, and who to approach for advice and support.
Although this is an easy read document and aimed at adults living with a learning disability, it is a useful resource that can be used by anyone and we strongly recommend this.
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board - Scams Easy Read Booklet
Housing Summit
The Board facilitated the 2nd Housing Related Safeguarding Summit on 14 December 2023 following on the success of the first the previous year which is
designed to bring professionals together from across the housing sector, along with health, social care and other colleagues to discuss safeguarding related matters. This was attended by 44 professionals with the highlight being the video of participants of the hoarding support group that had being running as a trial in Lewisham during 2023.
View the video: Lewisham Hoarding Support Group 2023
Think Family 
The Board has been working closely with the Lewisham Safeguarding Children Partnership on this subject which has resulted in the Think Family Practice Guidance being published, alongside a Working with Fathers and Carers Toolkit.
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board - Information for Professionals
This important area of work will continue on into 2024-25.
LSAB Social Media
Between 2019 and 2024 we’ve had circa 220,000 ‘impressions’ on Twitter.
We will keep this account but focus on Instagram now.
We have recently launched an Instagram account and will commit as much time as we can to try to reach a wider audience across Lewisham.
Safeguarding Information 2023-24
Table 1: Concluded Section 42 Enquiries 2023-24: Types of Abuse
Table 2: Lewisham Crime Context: 2023-24
Table 3: Age Demographics in Lewisham: Census Data 2021
Table 4: Concluded s.42 Enquiries: Times Series 2017-18 to 2023-24
Safeguarding Adults Reviews (SARs)
The period in scope for this review was 01.09.17 to 09.03.18, which is the date Joshua died. There were lengthy delays to the review largely due to repeated investigations by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
Joshua was a Black Caribbean man who first came into contact with mental health services in 2002, at the age of 19. He was a patient of Mental Health Forensic Services since 2006 and of the Community Mental Health Team since 2014. Joshua had nine admissions to hospital under the Mental Health Act (MHA)1983.
At the Coroner’s inquest the jury found system-wide failures contributed to his death. A Regulation 28 Report to prevent future deaths was issued to the Metropolitan Police Service and the London Ambulance Service. The jury recorded the medical cause of death as Acute Behavioural Disturbance (ABD) (in a relapse of schizophrenia) leading to exhaustion and cardiac arrest, contributed by restraint struggle, and being walked.
A key outcome from the case was that agencies should review relevant training and policies to strengthen anti-racist perspectives and to include the involvement of people with lived experience and their families and third sector organisations.
Arthur SAR Published 10 November 2023
Arthur was an 81-year-old Black British Caribbean man who lived in Lewisham with his wife, who was also his carer. In September 2021, Arthur was unlawfully killed by his son, ‘Anthony’ [pseudonym]. Arthur had physical disabilities including sight impairment.
Anthony lived alone in a flat provided by the local authority. He had been known to the police since the 1990’s and there had an escalating pattern of anti-social behaviour in his own home prior to the incident. Anthony also had a diagnosis of Treatment
Resistant Schizophrenia and had been known to mental health services since 2000.
Practitioners need to be aware of, and professionally curious about, familial abuse, with recognition of the hidden nature of older people who experience such abuse. Any concerns of familial abuse should be responded to appropriately including risk assessment, safeguarding procedures and referral to support services.
All of the published SARs in Lewisham can be read here:
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board - Safeguarding Adults Reviews
Adult 01 (Unpublished)
This review is being conducted in two parts due to ongoing criminal investigations. Practitioners have not been directly involved so far to prevent any potential prejudice of the police investigation, although this has still allowed the Board to share the initial and key learning points with agencies. The second part will be concluded once these parallel proceedings allow, and hopefully lead to the full report being published into the public domain. The case involves serious neglect and a focus on mental capacity.
Second National SAR Analysis 2019 to 2023
The second national analysis of Safeguarding Adults Reviews (SARs) in England was funded by Partners in Care and Health, supported by the Local Government Association (LGA) and the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS).
Its purpose was to identify priorities for sector-led improvement as a result of learning from SARs completed between 2019 and 2023.
The analysis builds on the findings of the first national analysis, published in 2020, which considered learning from SARs completed between 2017 and 2019. Taken together, the analyses provide a significant knowledge base about adult safeguarding in England across all types of abuse and neglect. They highlight both the shifts that have taken place and the challenges that endure.
- 652 Safeguarding Adults Reviews (SARs) were considered.
- 1075 people were affected - 861 where there was specific detail.
- 128 Safeguarding Adults Board (SABs) involved (100%).
- 8 SABs had not published a SAR in this period.
Some reviews will have considered multiple types of abuse.
The data highlights that self-neglect continues to be a high risk issue as only 7% of concluded Safeguarding Enquiries in 2022-23 in England were for this subject.
The most prominent practice shortcomings were:
- Risk assessment and management.
- Attention to mental capacity.
- Recognition of the abuse or neglect.
These trends across England are mirrored in the findings from Safeguarding Adults Reviews in Lewisham.
Work of the Sub-Groups
Case Review Sub-Group
The Sub-Group oversees Safeguarding Adults Review (SAR) processes locally, and is now led by Joan Hutton the Director of Operations for Adult Social Care.
The group met 7 times during 2023-24 and considered or monitored 10 cases throughout the year, including 4 new SAR Notifications. A previously agreed review which had commenced was halted after it was agreed that no further learning could be extracted following on from a Learning Disability Mortality Review (LeDeR)involving the same adult.
The Board’s SAR Policy and Procedures October 2023 were reviewed during the reporting period taking into account new draft guidance produced by the London Safeguarding Adults Board.
Lewisham Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking (MSHT) Network
The Board continues to administrate and support the delivery of this multi-agency group which meets on a quarterly basis.
On 23 January 2024 the network held an online conference attended by 100 delegates including a speaker with lived experience who reinforced the good work from professionals she had benefited from in their approach:
“They believed in me, and saw me as a person and not just another case”.
Useful information on this subject can be accessed here: Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board -Modern Slavery & Human Trafficking
A new learning resource was also published in October 2023 as an alternative to e-learning: Modern Slavery Awareness Workbook and there is also
Regular training available on this subject:
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board - Learning Zone
Performance, Audit and Quality Sub-Group
The group continued to meet throughout the year with a busy work programme. Most notably the Board published a new Information Sharing Agreement in January 2024 which is the first time this has been created specifically and uniquely for Lewisham after several years being linked in with a London wide agreement. This was a significant project and is a best practice document that any agency in the borough can refer to.
There is a dedicated webpage on this subject which is very useful: Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board - Information Sharing
The Board also published a new Inter Agency Escalation Policy in July 2023 and Guidance on Improving our Approach to
Adult and Family Engagement in Jan 2024:
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board - Policy and Procedures
A Mental Capacity Audit was conducted in October 2023 which will result in an update to procedures across adult social care and the two local NHS Trusts.
Safeguarding audits have also been undertaken to help prepare for the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) new inspection regime, and more generally to help partners ensure they have the right focus and priorities.
Self-Neglect Task and Finish Group
This group met throughout the year to lead the work on the consultation and development of the Multi-Agency Self Neglect Policy, Practice Guidance and Procedures. These were being finalised as we approached the end of the period. The new procedures will include the implementation of a new High Risk Panel that will consider the most serious cases in the borough.
Strategic Business Plan 2024-25
In line with the five priority areas there are a total of 19 Actions that are planned for 2024-25. This includes the development of new local guidance on the subject of Adult Sexual Exploitation (ASE); a continued focus on Out of Borough Placements; events designed to raise the profile of missing adults and homelessness; and the creation of a new training course for professional curiosity which is a feature in most SARs.
Full details can be read here:
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board - Partnership Compact and Strategic Business Plan 2024-2025
Download a copy of the LSAB Annual Report 2023-2024
Download a copy of the LSAB Annual Report 2022-2023
Download a copy of the LSAB Annual Report 2021-2022
Download a copy of the LSAB Annual Report 2020-2021
Download a copy of the LSAB Annual Report 2019-2020
Download a copy of the LSAB Annual Report 2018-2019
Safeguarding Adults Reviews
Read and download all of the published Safeguarding Adult Reviews Commissioned by Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board.
Safeguarding Adults Review - Maria - 11 December 2024
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has today published the Safeguarding Adults Review - Maria
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has also produced a 7 Minute Briefing - Maria - for Professionals.
The key learning points from this Safeguarding Adults Review were, the need for trauma informed care and support to offer evidence-based services and protection, rough sleeping with a tenancy, the complexities of mental capacity assessment, refusal of services, multi-agency working and using the Lewisham Adult Safeguarding Pathway.
A Learning Event will be held in the new year for all professionals working with adults at risk of abuse and neglect in Lewisham.
Safeguarding Adults Review - Arthur - 10 November 2023
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has today published the Safeguarding Adults Review Arthur.
Accompanying this report is a statement from the family of Arthur.
The Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has also produced a 7 Minute Briefing - Arthur - for Professionals.
Safeguarding Adults Review Joshua 7 June 2023
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has today published the Safeguarding Adults Review Joshua.
The Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has also published a statement in relation to this review.
The Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has also produced a 7 Minute Briefing - Joshua - for Professionals.
Safeguarding Adults Review (SAR) Learning Event Amanda and Eileen Dean
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board held this important online event on Wednesday 22 February 2023 2pm - 4pm.
The event was hosted by our Independent Chair, Professor Michael Preston-Shoot and included presentations from the independent reviewers involved in these cases (Susan Harrison and Patrick Hopkinson) as well information on wider SAR themes, including a Q&A session. This high-profile and heavily subscribed event provided a significant learning experience for those who attended.
Recordings, Q&A and presentations from the event are available below.
Amanda
Eileen Dean
Questions and Answers from the Amanda and Eileen Dean SAR Learning Event
Questions and Answers from the Amanda and Eileen Dean SAR Learning Event 22-02-23
Safeguarding Adults Review for Eileen Dean 11 November 2022
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has today published the Safeguarding Adults Review for Eileen Dean.
Accompanying this report is a statement from Eileen's family.
The Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has also published a statement in relation to this review.
The Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has also produced a 7 Minute Briefing - Eileen Dean - for Professionals.
Safeguarding Adults Review for Amanda 2 November 2022
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has today published the Safeguarding Adults Review for Amanda.
Accompanying this report is a statement from the family of Amanda.
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has also produced a 7 Minute Briefing - Amanda - for Professionals.
Safeguarding Adults Review for Mia 29 September 2021
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has today published the Safeguarding Adults Review for Mia.
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has also produced a LSAB 7 Minute Briefing - Mia - for Professionals.
19 July 2021 Safeguarding Adults Review – Adult Z
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has today published the Safeguarding Adults Review for Adult Z.
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has also produced a 7 Minute Briefing - Adult Z - for Professionals.
The key learning points from this Safeguarding Adults Review were mental ill health, the complexities of mental capacity assessment and providing emergency care in the community for adults with complex needs.
Friday 26 June 2020 - Safeguarding Adults Review – Mrs A & Miss G
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has today published the Safeguarding Adults Review for Mrs A & Miss G.
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has also produced a LSAB 7 Minute Briefing - Mrs A & Miss G - for Professionals.
Friday 12 June 2020 - Safeguarding Adults Review – Mr Tyrone Goodyear
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has today published the Safeguarding Adults Review for Mr Tyrone Goodyear.
Accompanying this report is a statement from the family of Tyrone.
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has also produced a 7 Minute Briefing - Tyrone Goodyear - for Professionals.
Zero Suicide Alliance provide a range of awareness training options, which provide a better understanding of the signs to look out for and the skills required to approach someone who is struggling, whether that be through social isolation or suicidal thoughts.
Friday 5 June 2020 - Safeguarding Adults Review - Executive Summary - Lee
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has today published the Safeguarding Adults Review Executive Summary - Lee.
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has also produced a 7 Minute Briefing – Lee - for Professionals.
During 2018 Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board published two safeguarding adult reviews. The full reports and accompanying documents are available to read and download below.
Mr Michael Thompson - Safeguarding Adults Review - Full Report
Statement of the board in relation to the Safeguarding Adults Review - Mr Michael Thompson
Safeguarding Adult Review, Reflection and Development Briefing - Personalising Care and Improving Outcomes
Mr CS - Safeguarding Adults Review - Full Report (Includes board statement)
Mr CS - Safeguarding Adults Review - Practice Briefing
Guidelines On Risk Assessment for Smoking in Care Homes
Find out more about Safeguarding Adult Reviews and How to Make a Referral to the LSAB.
Watch the Carers Guide to Home Fire Safety
National Network for Chairs of Adult Safeguarding Boards
You can find all of the Safeguarding Adults Reviews published nationally in the National Network for Chairs of Adult Safeguarding Boards - SAR Library.
Partnership Compact and Strategic Business Plan 2024-2025
Introduction
This document describes how organisations and their representatives on the Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board (LSAB) will work together in partnership to safeguard the residents of Lewisham in 2024-25. It is based on the statutory functions of Safeguarding Adults Boards as set out in the Care Act 2014, Care and Support Statutory Guidance.
Safeguarding means protecting an adult’s right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect. It is about people and organisations working together to prevent and stop both the risks and experience of abuse or neglect, while at the same time making sure that the adult’s wellbeing is promoted including, where appropriate, having regard to their views, wishes, feelings and beliefs in deciding on any action.
1.1 The aims of adult safeguarding:
• stop abuse or neglect wherever possible;
• prevent harm and reduce the risk of abuse or neglect to adults with care and support needs;
• safeguard adults in a way that supports them in making choices and having control about how they want to live;
• promote an approach that concentrates on improving life for the adults concerned;
• raise public awareness so that communities as a whole, alongside professionals, play their part in preventing, identifying and responding to abuse and neglect;
• provide information and support in accessible ways to help people understand the different types of abuse, how to stay safe and what to do to raise a concern about the safety or well-being of an adult; and
• then address what has caused the abuse or neglect.
1.2 Six key principles underpin all adult safeguarding work:
• Empowerment – people being supported and encouraged to make their own decisions and informed consent.
• Prevention – it is better to take action before harm occurs.
• Proportionality – the least intrusive response appropriate to the risk presented.
• Protection – support and representation for those in greatest need.
• Partnership – local solutions through services working with their communities. Communities have a part to play in preventing, detecting and reporting neglect and abuse.
• Accountability – accountability and transparency in delivering safeguarding.
1.3 Safeguarding duty: (this applies to an adult who)
• has needs for care and support (whether or not the local authority is meeting any of those needs) and;
• is experiencing, or at risk of, abuse or neglect; and
• as a result of those care and support needs is unable to protect themselves from either the risk of, or the experience of abuse or neglect.
2. What is abuse and / or neglect?
The criteria set out in section 1.3 above need to be met before the issue is considered as a concern under the statutory safeguarding duty. Exploitation is a common theme in the following list of the types of abuse and neglect.
• Physical abuse: including assault, hitting, slapping, pushing, misuse of medication, restraint, or inappropriate physical sanctions.
• Domestic abuse: including psychological, physical, sexual, financial, emotional abuse; so called ‘honour’ based violence. A new definition is outlined in the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 including a description of ‘personally connected’.
• Sexual abuse: including rape, indecent exposure, sexual harassment, inappropriate looking or touching, sexual teasing or innuendo, sexual photography, subjection to pornography or witnessing sexual acts, indecent exposure and sexual assault or sexual acts to which the adult has not consented or was pressured into consenting.
• Sexual exploitation: This is when a sexual act takes place in exchange for things like food, shelter, protection, or to pay bills, and the victim may have been coerced or manipulated into this sexual act.
• Psychological abuse: including emotional abuse, threats of harm or abandonment, deprivation of contact, humiliation, blaming, controlling, intimidation, coercion, harassment, verbal abuse, cyber bullying, isolation or unreasonable and unjustified withdrawal of services or supportive networks.
• Financial or material abuse: including theft, fraud, internet scamming, coercion in relation to an adult’s financial affairs or arrangements, including in connection with wills, property, inheritance or financial transactions, or the misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits.
• Modern slavery: encompasses slavery, human trafficking, forced labour and domestic servitude. Traffickers and slave masters use whatever means they have at their disposal to coerce, deceive and force individuals into a life of abuse, servitude and inhumane treatment.
• Discriminatory abuse: including forms of harassment, slurs or similar treatment; because of race, gender and gender identity, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion (including Hate Crimes).
• Organisational abuse: including neglect and poor care practice within an institution or specific care setting such as a hospital or care home, for example, or in relation to care provided in one’s own home. This may range from one off incidents to on-going ill-treatment. It can be through neglect or poor professional practice as a result of the structure, policies, processes and practices within an organisation.
• Neglect and acts of omission: including ignoring medical, emotional or physical care needs, failure to provide access to appropriate health, care and support or educational services, the withholding of the necessities of life, such as medication, adequate nutrition and heating.
• Self-neglect: this covers a wide range of behaviour neglecting to care for one’s personal hygiene, health or surroundings and includes behaviour such as hoarding.
3. The statutory functions of Safeguarding Adults Boards
As set out in Care and Support Statutory Guidance, each Safeguarding Adults Board should:
• identify the role, responsibility, authority, and accountability with regard to the action each agency and professional group should take to ensure the protection of adults;
• establish ways of analysing and interrogating data on safeguarding notifications that increase the SAB’s understanding of prevalence of abuse and neglect locally that builds up a picture over time;
• establish how it will hold partners to account and gain assurance of the effectiveness of its arrangements;
• determine its arrangements for peer review and self-audit;
• establish mechanisms for developing policies and strategies for protecting adults which should be formulated, not only in collaboration and consultation with all relevant agencies but also take account of the views of adults who have needs for care and support, their families, advocates and carer representatives;
• develop preventative strategies that aim to reduce instances of abuse and neglect in its area;
• identify types of circumstances giving grounds for concern and when they should be considered as a referral to the local authority as an enquiry;
• formulate guidance about the arrangements for managing adult safeguarding, and dealing with complaints, grievances and professional and administrative malpractice in relation to safeguarding adults (which includes whistleblowing: see 5.4.3 to 5.4.7 of the London Multi-Agency Adult Safeguarding Policy and Procedures);
• develop strategies to deal with the impact of issues of race, ethnicity, religion, gender and gender orientation, sexual orientation, age, disadvantage and disability on abuse and neglect;
• balance the requirements of confidentiality with the consideration that, to protect adults, it may be necessary to share information on a ‘need-to-know basis’;
• identify mechanisms for monitoring and reviewing the implementation and impact of policy and training;
• carry out Safeguarding Adults Reviews;
• produce a Strategic Plan and an Annual Report;
• evidence how SAB members have challenged one another and held other boards to account; and,
• promote multi-agency training and consider any specialist training that may be required; including considering any scope to jointly commission some training with other partnerships, such as the Lewisham Safeguarding Children’s Partnership Board.
The Strategic Business Plan for 2024-25 sets out how the LSAB partner agencies will collectively prioritise and deliver these functions over the next 12 months.
4. Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board (LSAB) Terms of Reference
The LSAB works to prevent harm or neglect and to help those harmed by leading on and facilitating the following safeguarding adult activities for the borough:
• Strategic planning: activities such as consultation, setting goals and objectives, action planning and prioritisation, securing resources, tracking and review of implementation and goal achievement for safeguarding strategy. In addition, the LSAB will influence and link to strategic planning and commissioning across the partnership to advise and scrutinise in relation to safeguarding adults.
• Setting standards and guidance: activities such as setting standards to be achieved, developing policies and procedural guidance to guide practice towards those standards. Monitoring and auditing the implementation of these policies and procedures.
• Quality assurance: lead and ensure activities such as monitoring, audit and review of practice, review of serious cases, incorporation of research and national guidance are undertaken as required. Conducting audits to ensure the effectiveness of what is done by agencies individually and collectively to safeguard and promote the welfare of adults at risk. Commissioning Safeguarding Adults Reviews and / or other reviews of incidents or organisations when an adult dies or is seriously harmed and abuse or neglect is suspected or proven.
• Promoting participation: by people who use services and carers in safeguarding practice. Promoting awareness and action in the wider community.
• Awareness raising & publicity: activities such as public awareness campaigns, targeted publicity and educational strategies, raising awareness within services.
• Capacity building and training: activities such as training and workforce development.
• Relationship management: activities such as the negotiation and clarification of interagency roles and contributions, member agency compliance, troubleshooting and resolution of difficulties, liaison with wider partnerships and related areas of practice. In addition, undertake work as appropriate with the Lewisham Safeguarding Children’s Partnership Board, Safer Lewisham Partnership and Lewisham Health and Wellbeing Board to ensure that policy and procedures, training and all other activities are co-ordinated and coherent.
4.1 Care and Support Statutory Guidance
Members of a SAB are expected to consider what assistance they can provide in supporting the Board in its work. This might be through payment to the local authority or to a joint fund established by the local authority to provide, for example, secretariat functions for the Board.
Members might also support the work of the SAB by providing administrative help, premises for meetings or holding training sessions. It is in all core partners’ interests to have an effective SAB that is resourced adequately to carry out its functions.
Members who attend in a professional and managerial capacity should be:
• able to present issues clearly in writing and in person;
• experienced in the work of their organisation;
• knowledgeable about the local area and population;
• have a thorough understanding of abuse and neglect and its impact;
• understand the pressures facing front line practitioners;
• able to explain their organisation’s priorities;
• able to promote the aims of the SAB; and,
• able to commit their organisation to agreed actions*.
While board members representing their organisations are expected to have the authority to commit their organisation to agreed actions, those board members representing Sub-Groups or non-service provider organisations may not have the relevant authority. In their case their role is to liaise between the Board and the Sub-Group and take back to their own organisations any proposals or recommendations for action.
Each member of SAB must co-operate and contribute to the carrying out of a Safeguarding Adults Review (SAR) with a view to:
a) identifying lessons to be learnt from the adult’s case, and
b) applying those lessons to future cases.
4.2 The responsibilities of members of the LSAB
The Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has an Independent Chair and Deputy Chair from one of the Board’s partner agencies.
The LSAB expects board members to:
• develop and maintain effective working arrangements based on trust and mutual understanding;
• be an active partner in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults at risk of harm or neglect;
• contribute to the LSAB financially or by providing staff for particular tasks;
• collate and provide management information as required by the LSAB and contribute to quality assurance arrangements;
• share information to safeguard adults in line with agreed information sharing arrangements;
• commit to the work of the Board by undertaking allocated tasks or sourcing the appropriate support from within their agency to undertake the work and contributing to discussions;
• identify and support staff to participate in the interagency activities of the LSAB through their active membership of the Sub-Groups and / or Task & Finish Groups, and to progress of the work of the Board between meetings;
• ensure that the policies, procedures, guidance, tools and resources in the Lewisham Adult Safeguarding Pathway are disseminated and acted upon in an effective way within their own organisations;
• ensure that communications are cascaded through organisations, services and to front-line staff as appropriate;
• represent the LSAB and its activities within their own organisation and within any groups they represent on the Board;
• report difficulties with own organisation and between organisations to the LSAB and work with partners to find effective solutions.
4.3 Organisations represented on the LSAB
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Age UK Lewisham and Southwark
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Department for Work and Pensions – South London District
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Healthwatch Lewisham
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Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Trust
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Lewisham Adult Social Care
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Lewisham Children & Young People’s services
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Lewisham Speaking Up
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Lewisham Refugee and Migrant Network (LRMN)
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Lewisham Safeguarding Children Partnership (LSCP)
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Lewisham Housing Directorate
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Lewisham Adult Integrated Commissioning
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Lewisham Public Health
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Lewisham Safer Communities
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Lewisham Strategic Housing Services
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London Ambulance Service NHS Trust
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London Fire Brigade
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Metropolitan Police Service, Lewisham (South East BCU)
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National Probation Service, Lewisham and Bromley
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NHS South East London Integrated Care Service and Board
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South East London MIND
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South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
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999 Club
There will also be representatives from partner agencies on Sub-Groups.
4.4 Governance and accountability
• The LSAB is responsible for ensuring organisations are meeting their safeguarding obligations effectively and will hold them to account if they are not.
• As individuals, Board members are accountable to their own agencies but the Board as a whole will be accountable to the Department of Health and Social Care, and provides reports locally to the Health and Wellbeing Board and the Healthier Communities Select Committee. Its work may be scrutinised periodically by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and is liable to be inspected at any time by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
• The Board, through the independent chair, is accountable to the Chief Executive of the Local Authority, the Chief Executive of the NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB) and the Borough Commander of Police.
• These Executive Group of agencies may periodically meet to discuss the strategic direction of the Board, and additionally invite the London Fire Brigade Borough Commander, Chief Executive of Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Trust, and Chief Executive of the South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust to join this group.
4.5 Equality and fairness
• The LSAB operates and supports the principles that actively value the benefits of
diversity, fair treatment, and equal access to, and outcomes from local service delivery.
• The LSAB will seek, so far as it is practicable, to ensure equality of representation and participation in the local democratic process of which it is a part.
• The LSAB will, through its composition and ways of working, seek to inform, support, involve and give a voice to all sections of the local communities it serves, with particular emphasis on the inclusion of black, Asian and minority ethnic groups, faith communities and those living with a disability. It will seek to ensure an appropriate gender balance in its membership, so far as this is practicable.
4.6 Dispute resolution between LSAB Members – Inter Agency Escalation Policy
Having different professional perspectives within safeguarding practice is a sign of a healthy and well-functioning partnership. This is also an indicator of effective professional curiosity, which we know from evidence and research, is a crucial factor in being able to prevent adult abuse and neglect. These differences of opinion are usually resolved by discussion and negotiation between the practitioners concerned. It is essential that where differences of opinion arise, they do not adversely affect outcomes for ‘adults at risk’ and are resolved in a constructive manner.
Pro-active and assertive professional challenge and resolution is an integral part of Inter-agency co-operation and joint working to safeguard adults at risk; and it is important to:
- Ensure professional disputes do not increase the risk to the person or obscure the focus on the adult.
- Ensure professional disputes between agencies are resolved in a timely, open, and constructive manner.
- Identify problem areas in working together where there is a lack of clarity and to promote resolution via amendment to protocols, procedures, and practice.
Professionals should follow the guidelines outlined in the LSAB Inter-Agency Escalation Policy
4.7 Conflicts of interest
Whenever a representative has a conflict of interest in a matter to be decided upon, the representative concerned shall declare such interest at or before discussions begin on the matter. The Chair shall record the interest in the minutes of the meeting and that representative shall take no part in the decision-making process.
5. The operational structure of the Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board
5.1 The frequency of LSAB meetings
The Board meets four times a year. Board meeting dates will be set as far in advance as possible (normally 12 months) to ensure availability of all board members.
5.2 LSAB Sub-Groups
LSAB work activities are designed to achieve results in the most effective and efficient ways. This may include formal Sub-Groups meeting on a planned regular basis or through smaller specific Task and Finish Groups, workshops, or other consultative events.
Each Sub-Group have their own Terms of Reference (Appendices 3-4), are responsible for delivering specific LSAB Strategic Objectives, and may commission Task and Finish Groups to deliver specific pieces of work linked to these objectives. Members of these groups must understand the remit of the LSAB; that they are assisting the LSAB to meet its objectives; and have the capacity to undertake work for the Board.
Membership of these groups will reflect a range of agencies across Lewisham. They may also include individuals with specialist knowledge or the ability to add value to achieving and implementing planned objectives.
Members are expected to attend meetings; contribute to discussions and activities of the Sub-Group. They may be required to undertake agreed specific tasks, delivering these in a timely way, alerting the Sub-Group Chair or other identified lead officer in advance of any deadlines being missed.
Strategic Learning will be shared along with the Lewisham Safeguarding Children Partnership (LSCP) and Safer Lewisham Partnership (SLP) to share the learning from Safeguarding Adults Reviews, Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews and Domestic Homicide Reviews, enabling higher level strategic objectives to be developed and shared.
5.3 Attendance
Individuals identified as Board, Sub-Group and / or Task and Finish Group members are expected to regularly attend meetings. Where there is unavoidable absence, all organisations should ensure that there is a suitable substitute representative from their agency.
5.4 Administrative arrangements for the LSAB
The agenda and associated papers for each Board meeting are issued no later than five working days before the meeting by the LSAB Administrator.
Minutes of LSAB Board meetings are taken by the LSAB Administrator and circulated within 15 working days of the meeting.
6. Review
These terms of reference will be reviewed as required in response to significant change in guidance, legislation, or member organisations.
Strategic Business Plan 2024-25
LSAB Strategic Business Plan 2024 - 2025
Board Meeting Minutes
On this page you can find minutes of the Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board meetings.
Information Sharing
Adult Safeguarding: Sharing Information
Sharing the right information, at the right time, with the right people, is fundamental to good practice in safeguarding adults.
Frontline professionals and volunteers should always report safeguarding concerns in line with their organisation’s policy. Policies should be clear about how confidential information should be shared between departments in the same organisation.
For Safeguarding purposes sensitive or personal information sometimes needs to be shared between the Local Authority and its safeguarding partners (including GP’s, health, the police, service providers, housing, regulators and the Office of the Public Guardian). This may include information about individuals who are at risk, service providers or those who may pose a risk to others. It aims to enable partners to share information appropriately and lawfully in order to improve the speed and quality of safeguarding responses.
The Care Act emphasises the need to empower people, to balance choice and control for individuals against preventing harm and reducing risk, and to respond proportionately to safeguarding concerns. The Act deals with the role of the safeguarding adults board’s (SAB’s) in sharing strategic information to improve local safeguarding practice. Section 45 ‘the supply of information’ covers the responsibilities of others to comply with requests for information from the safeguarding adults board.
Sharing information between organisations as part of day-to-day safeguarding practice is already covered in the common law duty of confidentiality, The *EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) the Data Protection Act, the Human Rights Act and the Crime and Disorder Act. The Mental Capacity Act is also relevant as all those coming into contact with adults with care and support needs should be able to assess whether someone has the mental capacity to make a decision concerning risk, safety or sharing information.
*Also see The UK GDPR | ICO for further information.
LSAB Information Sharing Agreement Jan 2024
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board (LSAB) has an information sharing agreement that includes the whole partnership.
LSAB Information Sharing Agreement Jan 2024
Appendix A: Template ‘information sharing request’ form
Appendix B: Template ‘information sharing decision and update’ form
It remains the responsibility of organisations and the professionals they employ to ensure that they have a basis for processing that meets common law requirements and the requirements of the GDPR; and for public bodies that they are acting within their powers.
Why do we need to share adult safeguarding information?
Organisations need to share safeguarding information with the right people at the right time to:
- Prevent death or serious harm,
- Co-ordinate effective and efficient responses,
- Enable early interventions to prevent the escalation of risk,
- Prevent abuse and harm that may increase the need for care and support,
- Maintain and improve good practice in safeguarding adults,
- Reveal patterns of abuse that were previously undetected and that could identify others at risk of abuse,
- Identify low-level concerns that may reveal people at risk of abuse,
- Help people to access the right kind of support to reduce risk and promote wellbeing,
- Help identify people who may pose a risk to others and, where possible, work to reduce offending behaviour,
- Reduce organisational risk and protect reputation.
False perceptions about needing consent to share safeguarding information
Some frontline professionals and their managers can be over-cautious about sharing personal information, particularly if it is against the wishes of the individual concerned. They may also be mistaken about needing consent to share safeguarding information. The risk of sharing information is often perceived as higher than it actually is. It is important that professionals consider the risks of not sharing safeguarding information when making decisions and that these decisions are recorded.
How to address false perceptions
- Raise awareness about responsibilities to share information (profession or work role-specific guidance may help),
- Encourage consideration of the risks of not sharing information,
- Brief staff and volunteers on the basic principles of confidentiality the *EU General Data Protection Regulation and data protection,
- Improve understanding of the Mental Capacity Act,
- Provide a contact number for staff and volunteers to raise concerns,
- Be clear in procedures about when to raise a safeguarding concern,
- Assure staff and volunteers that they do not necessarily need to have evidence to raise a concern.
*Also see The UK GDPR | ICO for further information.
Complex networks between safeguarding partner agencies
The local authority has the lead responsibility for safeguarding adults with care and support needs, and the police and the NHS also have clear safeguarding duties under the Care Act 2014. Clinical commissioning groups and the police will often have different geographical boundaries and different IT systems. Housing and social care providers will also provide services across boundaries.
The Care Act 2014 (Section 6 [7]) places duties on the local authority and its partners to cooperate in the exercise of their functions relevant to care and support including those to protect adults. The safeguarding adults board should ensure that it ‘has the involvement of all partners necessary to effectively carry out its duties’.
Below is a simple flowchart of the key principles for information sharing. You can also download this flowchart.
Sharing information to prevent abuse and neglect
Sharing information between organisations about known or suspected risks may help to prevent abuse taking place. The safeguarding adults board has a key role to play in sharing information and intelligence on both local and national threats and risks. The board’s annual report must provide information about any safeguarding adults reviews. This can include learning to inform future prevention strategies. Designated adult safeguarding managers ‘should also have a role in highlighting the extent to which their own organisation prevents abuse and neglect taking place’.
What if a person does not want you to share their information?
Frontline workers and volunteers should always share safeguarding concerns in line with their organisation’s policy, usually with their line manager or safeguarding lead in the first instance, except in emergency situations. As long as it does not increase the risk to the individual, the member of staff should explain to them that it is their duty to share their concern with their manager. The safeguarding principle of proportionality should underpin decisions about sharing information without consent, and decisions should be on a case-by-case basis.
Individuals may not give their consent to the sharing of safeguarding information for a number of reasons. For example, they may be frightened of reprisals, they may fear losing control, they may not trust social services or other partners or they may fear that their relationship with the abuser will be damaged.
If a person refuses intervention to support them with a safeguarding concern, or requests that information about them is not shared with other safeguarding partners, their wishes should be respected. However, there are a number of circumstances where the practitioner can reasonably override such a decision, including:
- You have a lawful basis for sharing without consent under the GDPR & Data Protection Act 2018,
- The individual lacks the mental capacity to make that decision – this must be properly explored and recorded in line with the Mental Capacity Act,
- Other people are, or may be, at risk, including children sharing the information could prevent a crime,
- The alleged abuser has care and support needs and may also be at risk,
- A serious crime has been committed staff are implicated,
- The person has the mental capacity to make that decision but they may be under duress or being coerced,
- The risk is unreasonably high and meets the criteria for a multi-agency risk assessment conference referral,
- You have a legal obligation.
If none of the above apply and the decision is not to share safeguarding information with other safeguarding partners, or not to intervene to safeguard the person:
- Support the person to weigh up the risks and benefits of different options,
- Ensure they are aware of the level of risk and possible outcomes,
- Agree on and record the level of risk the person is taking,
- Offer to arrange for them to have an advocate or peer supporter,
- Offer support for them to build confidence and self-esteem if necessary,
- Record the reasons for not intervening or sharing information,
- Regularly review the situation,
- Try to build trust and use gentle persuasion to enable the person to better protect themselves.
If it is necessary to share information outside the organisation:
- Explore the reasons for the person’s objections – what are they worried about?
- Explain the concern and why you think it is important to share the information,
- Tell the person who you would like to share the information with and why,
- Explain the benefits, to them or others, of sharing information – could they access better help and support?
- Discuss the consequences of not sharing the information – could someone come to harm?
- Reassure them that the information will not be shared with anyone who does not need to know,
- Reassure them that they are not alone and that support is available to them.
If the person cannot be persuaded to give their consent then, unless it is considered dangerous to do so, it should be explained to them that the information will be shared without consent. The reasons should be given and recorded.
It is very important that the risk of sharing information is also considered. In some cases, such as domestic violence or hate crime, it is possible that sharing information could increase the risk to the individual. Safeguarding partners need to work jointly to provide advice, support and protection to the individual in order to minimise the possibility of worsening the relationship or triggering retribution from the abuser.
What if a safeguarding partner is reluctant to share information?
There are only a limited number of circumstances where it would be acceptable not to share information pertinent to safeguarding with relevant safeguarding partners. Safeguarding adults boards set clear policies for dealing with conflict on information sharing. If there is continued reluctance from one partner to share information on a safeguarding concern the matter would be referred to the board. It can then consider whether the concern warrants a request, under Clause 45 of the Care Act, for the ‘supply of information’. Then the reluctant party would only have grounds for refusal if it would be ‘incompatible with their own duties or have an adverse effect on the exercise of their functions’.