Agenda item

The Leicester Safeguarding Adults Board submits an annual report providing an overview of the strategic and developmental priorities of the Board.

The Director for Adult Social Caresubmitted a report providing the Commission with an overview of performance data analysed through the lens of ethnicity together with the key findings.

The Independent Chair of the Leicestershire and Rutland Safeguarding Adults Board gave an overview of the report. Key points noted:

• There was a joint board consisting of Leicester City, Leicestershire and Rutland. Leicester City had its own annual report and Leicestershire & Rutland produced an annual report. The strategic plan encompassed all three areas.
• The Chair was independently appointed and part of the role was to ensure safeguarding compliance within the partnership, whilst also providing an element of support.
• A subgroup cultivating the board, provided a further element, which was more localised to Leicester City. Leicestershire & Rutland had were updated on the subgroups work.
• The Care Act of 2014 had introduced three requirements which were being adhered to, these were:

1.     To have a Strategic plan

2.     To report annually to the public

3.     To review cases where serious incidents or deaths have occurred (with a particular focus on multi-agency communications.)

• Strategic priorities were set out and there were also annual business plan priorities which were dependent on local matters.
• There was a keen focus on the Mental Capacity Act.
• Everyday staffing compliance and daily issues such as abuse and neglect were also core priorities. It was noted that data on self-neglect was a problematic area, partly due to the breadth of scope.
• In the previous year, there were concerns of over representation for the white community with safeguarding concerns and enquiries. There was a need to ensure marginalisation didn’t occur.
• Some of the work had been surrounding the high number of care home alerts and it was acknowledged that some communities tended not to use care homes.

In response to questions and comments from Members, it was noted that: 

• Regarding public health data on suicide, the Case Review Group could examine whether failures had left the person exposed. Coroners would prioritise investigations into safeguarding. Suicide victims may or may not have interacted with social care.
• Two male suicide cases were reviewed by the subgroup, involving one Black individual and one White individual. The subgroup concluded that both cases were reviewed consistently and in accordance with the same procedures. Significant work had been completed to ensure all communities had access to safeguarding services. This had possibly lead to an increase in referrals from ethnic groups who may not have made previous contact. It was also possible that data interrogation styles could also affect the statistical presentation. More work was required to delve into data and to investigate how best to meet the needs of all communities.
• It was recognised that professionals could feel uneasy about making safeguarding referrals. Groups wanting to raise awareness had access to resources such as the website short videos which could be used with organisations to raise awareness. The Making It Real organisation had produced a leaflet on recognising safeguarding issues which included contact points.

It was noted that a nuanced approach should be adopted for organisations      ensuring that referrals were raised appropriately.

• In terms of benchmarking with other cities, the Safeguarding Return took review took place annually as part of the National Data Set. A subgroup could then analyse the data.
• Regarding promoting the Safeguarding campaign within the media, the National Safeguarding Week was to follow the next week. There would be training, learning events and radio interviews taking place.

AGREED:  

1. That the Commission note the report.
2. Self-neglect would remain on the work programme.
3. The Leaflet produced by the Making It Real Organisation would be shared with Members of the Commission.