Agenda item

(To receive a report by Heather Roach, Independent Chair – Lincolnshire Safeguarding Adults Board, which provides an overview of the role and work of the Lincolnshire Adults Safeguarding Board including an update in relation to the Team Around the Adult project)

Consideration was given to a presentation by the Chairman of the Lincolnshire Adult Safeguarding Board and the Assistant Director – Specialist Services, which provided an overview of the role and work of the Lincolnshire Adults Safeguarding Board (LSAB) including an update in relation to the Team Around the Adult project, which included further information on the:

• LSAB’s requirements under the Care Act 2014
• What safeguarding is and how it aimed to protects those at risk by working with the partner agencies to protect those at risk of harm or neglect who are unable to protect themselves.
• Details of cross border collaborations used by the LSAB
• Details of the procedures that were in place which provided assurance that safeguarding arrangements were effective, included the Lincolnshire Assurance and Assessment Framework; Executive and Partner events; and the procedures that have been put in place to prevent further risk as a result of Covid-19 pandemic.
• Details of the learning resources that were available to those with a responsibility for safeguarding.
• Further detail on the Team Around the Adult Approach (TAA).

The Committee was advised that the Team Around the Adult Approach was a central element of the existing LSAB Prevention Strategy, which built upon the District Councils and Vulnerable Adult Panels or similar and focussed on people who may need help but do not meet Section 42 Safeguarding Enquiry thresholds and/or people who are not engaging with services.

The LSAB sought to expand the Prevention Strategy to cover the four strategy Boards, in order to develop the TAA initiative to ensure targeted approach to helping people at risk, in particular adults with mental illness, drug and alcohol addiction and/or homelessness who are regularly presenting to statutory agencies. The LSAB had prepared some analysis of people frequently presenting at Emergency Duty Team (EDT) and Mental Health Crisis Teams which would inform a business case.

The Committee was invited to ask questions, in which the following points were noted:

• The Committee emphasised the importance of early intervention and commended the work carried out on the TAA initiative.
• The TAA initiative was a pilot scheme meaning there had only been a small number of cases at the current time, but significant impact had been made on an individual level.
• It was acknowledged that the term ‘complex needs’ could be wide ranging and differ in individual cases. The LSAB worked with District Council’s and other wider partnerships to identify individuals with complex needs using a criteria matrix based on the individuals needs. It was agreed that the criteria matrix be circulated.
• The LSAB offered continuous training to Lincolnshire County Council officers and other organisations which provided further information on how to identify when an individual was at risk. Officers recognised a continuous need for individuals to refresh their training regularly.
• Analysis had identified the Police and East Midlands Ambulance Service the main organisations which raised the highest number safeguarding concerns which did not meet the criteria for a further action in terms of a Section 42. Plans were in place to improve the understanding of those organisations along with further work to educate the care sector. A Gold Group had been set up to look at the key themes for reporting a safeguarding enquiry and provide further training.
• Assurance was provided that the safeguarding concerns that did not make it to a Section 42 inquiry were regularly assessed and themes were identified. There was an opportunity in some cases to identify individuals who would benefit from the TAA initiative.
• The Committee raised concerns around the negative effects of social isolation and the potential for this to lead to other mental health issues. Officers confirmed that there was clear evidence that prolonged social isolation led to a deterioration of health. Prevention was therefore crucial to reduce the demand on mental health services.

RESOLVED:

              That the report and presentation be received and the comments made be    noted.