Agenda item

(To receive a report by Justin Hackney, Assistant Director – Specialist Services, which provides the Committee with details of the review of performance measure PI130 - Adult Safeguarding concerns progressing to enquiry)

Consideration was given to a report by the Assistant Director – Specialist Services and the Interim Chairman – Lincolnshire Safeguarding Adults Board (LSAB), which provided the Committee with details of the review of performance measure PI130 - Adult Safeguarding concerns progressing to enquiry.

A review of a Performance Measure “PI130 Adult Safeguarding concerns that progress to enquiry” was requested by the Adults and Community Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee following consideration of the performance measure and associated narrative at the scrutiny meeting in February 2022.

The review had concluded that the current performance measure did not get to the heart of where further improvement was most needed. The current definition excluded significant amounts of adult safeguarding work and potentially penalised good practice in the way it evaluated performance. It was therefore proposed that the current performance measure be removed from key indicator performance with effect from the 1 April 2022 and an action line and timeline be put in place for improvements to be made, including the creation of an alternative performance indicator.

Consideration was given to the report and during the discussion the following points were noted:

• The importance of ensuring all Council employees had awareness of safeguarding risk was emphasised as every employee had a role to identify and report concerns both in the workplace and within communities.
• It was important to ensure that the review with partners did not deter people from reporting possible safeguarding concerns. However, it was acknowledged that partner organisations had a statutory duty in the prevention of safeguarding and it was therefore necessary that they had a good understanding of what constituted a safeguarding concern.
• The review had highlighted the level of risk being passed onto local authorities. An accountability framework had been created within the LSAB to work through issues and achieve more accurate recording.
• The Committee were reassured that eth Council provided a high level of support to partner organisations in safeguarding.
• Managers monitored all safeguarding concerns raised including where they were in the process to ensure that progress was being made where possible and that safeguarding was personal and enquiries moved at a pace that was satisfactory to individuals.
• Assurance was provided that all concerns raised were taken with due regard and managed within the same process.

• An alternative Performance Measure for 2022- 23 was being developed that would consider whether partners were consistently demonstrating a making safeguarding personal approach prior to raising a safeguarding concern with the local authority.
• The Interim Chairman of the LSAB provided assurance that work had been carried out and highlighted the benefits of partnership working and embedding cultural change to ensure that safeguarding was seen as everybody’s business which was fundamental to making a difference to keep all individuals safe.
• It was agreed that the Health Scrutiny Officer liaise with the Member Development Group to arrange a training session on safeguarding for all Councillors.

RESOLVED:

That in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Adult Care and Public Health, the following recommendations be approved:

• That the current performance measure PI130 be removed from the key indicator performance report with effect from 1 April 2022.
• That LSAB share with the Adults and Community Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee a copy of the Action Plan and timeline for improvements to be facilitated by the Task and Finish Group that has been established by the Deputy Chair of the LSAB.
• That Adult Care and Community Wellbeing, in partnership with the LSAB and the Corporate Performance Team develop an alternative Performance Measure in 2022- 23 that considers whether partners are consistently demonstrating an MSP approach prior to raising a safeguarding concern with the local authority. This may be best linked to reporting from the new electronic referral system being developed.
• That the work in progress to develop a new electronic referral system for Adult Safeguarding Concerns is concluded in 2022-23 and that this should seek to filter general safeguarding information out from adult safeguarding concerns. And that a clear timeline for this initiative is confirmed with project leads.
• That LSAB policy and procedures are updated by 30 June 2022 to strengthen partner understanding of when an Adult Safeguarding Concern should be escalated to the local authority.
• That the LSAB should develop a Prevention Charter during 2022-23, that sets out clearly the prevention duties of all LSAB partners and re-confirms partners commitment to consistently practice an MSP approach and in particular, to speak to the Adult and establish what outcomes they want to achieve before formally raising an Adult Safeguarding Concern.