Solihull Safeguarding Adults

newsletter
February 2014 Edition 6

Welcome

to the SIXTH 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. Some of the items in this edition: Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards Change of fax details Safeguarding Adults Training plan for 2014/15 New Local Practice Guidance

Board & Sub Committee News

Solihull Safeguarding Adults Main Board
The Board has made the decision to decommission two Board Priorities for 2013/14. These were Transitions and Domestic Abuse. The Board felt that other organisations were leading on these issues and were being monitored sufficiently via their structures and monitoring pathways. The Board met at the end of January to finalise priorities for the new financial year and those of individual agencies.

Operational Sub Committee

This committee has now signed off two Local Practice Guidance documents. LPG2 Self Neglect and LPG21 Financial Abuse. These are now available on the website. Work is continuing on the Restraint Guidance and HoEFT, BSMHFT and Coventry & Warwickshire Trust have all been consulted.

Quality & Audit Sub Committee

The group is considering the work being done by the West Midlands Regional Safeguarding Group around a Performance Framework, which may enable us to collate data more effectively. SMBC Commissioning are now a member of this group and in the process of forming quality indicators, which will monitor services and providers in Solihull. Once finalised, the results of these indicators will be considered by the group.

Joint Training & Education Sub Committee (Adults & Children)

We have changed our name! We will now be known as the Learning & Development Sub Committee to reflect our work strategies. A joint safeguarding adults/childrens competency framework has been approved by SSAB and LSCB and is available for key agencies to use to guide the training provided for staff in line with their roles and responsibilities. The committee are currently agreeing its work priorities for 2014-15 but these will include quality assurance and data collection and the need to establish joint level one training presentations for statutory and voluntary agencies to access. A further priority is the inclusion of service users in the design, development and delivery of training events locally.

MCA/LISG Sub Committee

The MCA and DoLS Practice Guidance is in final draft format and will in turn be sent to the Main Board for final sign off. The group are working with POhWER to develop a service user questionnaire for those who are involved in the DoLS process.

Prevention Sub Committee

The group is still collating responses to the service user questionnaires which have been sent out. These will help form the basis of the revised Prevention Strategy. In furtherance of the prevention of financial abuse, the group have been informed of a Financial Abuse Conference to be held in March 2014 see later item in the Newsletter.

Did you know?

That in December 2013, NICE produced some guidance on the Mental wellbeing of older people in care homes? View the Report here along with another set of guidance on Dementia

LOCAL NEWS
NEW LOCAL PRACTICE GUIDANCE
Two new Local Practice Guidance documents have now been signed off by the SSAB. LPG2 is on Self Neglect and LPG21 is Financial Abuse. LPG2 Self Neglect Adults may make lifestyle choices which may be contrary to what is perceived to be common sense, contrary to the advice or views of family friends and professionals. Such choices may well have an adverse effect on a persons health, wellbeing or safety. Those involved in providing support, care or treatment need to balance an adults right to self determination, with duties to manage risk and safeguarding those who are vulnerable. Self neglect may in some circumstances impact on the safety and wellbeing of others. Attempts to intervene must also take account of the rights and wellbeing of others. Professionals need to judge when a cause for concern situation is becoming more serious and reassess their power duties to intervene. Attempts to intervene must be proportionate and reasonable. This guidance has been developed so practitioners and partners know how to respond to incidents of Self Neglect and when a Safeguarding Adults referral is required. LPG21 Financial Abuse Financial abuse of adults at risk is a difficult and complex issue. To help practitioners, this guidance has been developed and includes: Key facts about financial abuse A Quick reference reporting pathway Prevention and Protection Principles How to take financial abuse through the Safeguarding Adults process Guidance on how to work with the DWP when it is suspected there had been a misappropriation of benefits. A checklist for social workers and providers to use when developing an individuals care and support plan Key principles for providers to help prevent abuse and to help providers identify abuse and act quickly. Both these documents are available to download or view on our SSAB Website.

DEPRIVATION OF LIBERTY SAFEGUARDS CHANGE OF FAX NUMBER

Following the item in the last newsletter, please note that the fax number for sending all DoLS applications has changed. The fax number is now 0121 788 4345. More information on DoLS can be found on the DoLS website page. Please delete any previous numbers. If you need advice or help with a DoLS application, please call 0121 704 8007 and ask to speak to someone from the DoLS team, or you can email: solihull.dols@solihull.gov.uk

SSAB TRAINING PLAN FOR 2014/15

The Safeguarding Adults Business Team is currently revising a new training programme which is designed to support the safeguarding competency framework at levels 1 (awareness), 2 practitioners involved in investigations), level 3 (Health and Care Managers) and level 4 (Senior Managers) across partner organisations. The new programme will be available late March and will present a modular approach to safeguarding adults training with supporting guidance for all key agencies to use. There will be much more focus on the promotion of an outcome based approach throughout training in line with the Making Safeguarding Personal Local Government Association project, that SSAB are taking part in nationally. The revised programme will be emailed to all agencies.

WE TRUST YOU TO CARE CONFERENCE 19th JUNE 2014 Who does what in Care Homes
The Safeguarding Adults Board will host a conference to raise awareness of the teams and agencies that visit care homes and support providers in achieving best quality care services. This conference is aimed at care home managers and professionals who visit care home and aims to increase understanding of the roles and responsibilities of visiting officers and agencies including: The Care Quality Commission, Social Workers, Nurses, Infection control, Quality Monitoring Officers, Falls Prevention, Police, Health and Safety, Fire Service, Medicines management, and the Safeguarding team. For more information please contact: ssab@solihull.gov.uk

MULTI-AGENCY FINANCIAL ABUSE CONFERENCE 14TH MARCH 2014

Solihull Safeguarding Adults Board have organised a multi-agency conference which aims to raise awareness of the extent and prevalence of financial abuse and its impact on adults at risk in our community. The aim of this conference is to raise awareness of the role of key agencies in the prevention of financial abuse and the need for effective multiagency working across local services. Speakers will include Gary Fitzgerald, CEO - Action on Elder Abuse, Sally Bourner, Solihull Police Commander - West Midlands Police, and Paul Southall (or representative), Solicitor - Carver and Company. A scenario will also be performed by our local acting group Advo-acts. There will also be workshops available, including, the Care and Support Bill, Rogue Traders, Loan Sharks, Mental Capacity Issues, Legal Sanctions, the role of Banks and Building Societies, Best Practice and Direct Payments and Benefit fraud. The conference is open to all key agencies who work directly with adults at risk. For SMBC staff, please go through Oracle self serve to book your place. For other agencies, please complete the Booking Form on our website and send to: ssab@solihull.gov.uk

LOCAL NEWS
WEST MIDLANDS FIRE SERVICE
To enable effective assessment and mitigation of fire risk in peoples homes, WMFS offers a free comprehensive two hour training session to staff and professionals working with our at risk citizens. If your organisation provides services or equipment to or supports at risk groups and individuals within their homes (including sheltered, housing with care and extra care schemes), then WMFS would encourage you to access the training. For further information about the training please email: solihullvpo@wmfs.net If you are an informal carer, family or friend of someone you believe may be at risk, for free home fire safety advice and support please call 0800 389 5525. To read more about our strategic priorities and objectives visit: https://www.wmfs.net/sites/default/files/The%20Plan%20 2013-2016a.pdf

West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) has recently become a member the Solihull Safeguarding Adults Board. The service works in partnership with staff and professionals from statutory, independent and third sector agencies to prevent harm from and reduce the risk of accidental fires in the home for those who are most vulnerable and at risk. Through analysis of the most serious and significant accidental fires, WMFS has identified that older people, those with physical or sensory impairment, those who have a learning disability, mental ill health or dementia, smokers, those who are alcohol dependent and those use illicit drugs could be at greater risk and more vulnerable to fire.

NATIONAL NEWS
CQC REPORT - PANICOA
On the 12 December 2013 the Care Quality Commission published a report by PANICOA (which stands for Prevention of Abuse and Neglect in the Institutional Care of Older Adults, which includes care homes and NHS settings) who were funded by Comic Relief and the Department of Health to carry out a major research programme looking at institutional care and the steps that can be taken to help prevent the mistreatment of staff, residents and patients. They found: A culture of care and respect is key to preventing the mistreatment of older people in health and social care services. The Key findings from the report were: many care staff face work-related stress with some frontline staff facing real risk of physical harm or verbal abuse. older people are receiving good and excellent care in hospitals and care homes but their care can suffer from lack of resources and time pressures. abuse and neglect does occur, usually from the results of poor organisational systems and practices, and risks from environments not suited to frail older people. staff at all levels, and in particular in the NHS, show disrespectful and patronising attitudes towards older people. the way a care home or hospital treats its staff is vital to a strong culture of care. Visit Preventing Abuse and Neglect in Institutional Care for Older Adults to find out more about the findings and recommendations: www.panicoa.org.uk

GP SERVICES FOR OLDER PEOPLE: A GUIDE FOR CARE HOME MANAGERS

In December 2013 SCIE (Social Care Institute for Excellence) published Guide 53 GP services for older people: a guide for care home managers. The health and wellbeing of older people in care homes depends on them accessing GP services in a timely way. Effective joint working between GP and care home management, the involvement of residents and their relatives and the engagement of care staff are factors that can affect the outcome and lead to quality improvements. This guide is primarily written for managers and senior staff of care homes but it has also been written with GPs in mind, as well as members of clinical commissioning groups and joint health and wellbeing boards. There are three reports of interest to download. They are: Guide 53 GP services for older people: a guide for care home managers Improving access to and experience of GP services for older people living in care homes: practice survey. Evidence review on partnership working between GPs, care home residents and care homes Visit the SCIE website to find out more: www.scie.org.uk/publications/guides/guide52

NATIONAL NEWS
GOVERNMENT PUBLISHES 'BLUEPRINT FOR TRUSTWORTHY' NHS
At the end of November, Jeremy Hunt, Secretary of State for Health, unveiled a series of measures in response to the public inquiry into Stafford Hospital. From April, patients will be able to access new national safety website. There will be no national minimum staffing standard, but it is likely to include recommended nurse-to-patient ratios for different types of ward. Also announced were the following: Hospitals will have to produce quarterly reports on how they are handling complaints and clearly set out how patients can raise them. A legal duty of candour on organisations to be open and honest about mistakes. A criminal offence of wilful neglect to hold staff to account. A "fit and proper person's test" so managers who have failed in past will be barred from taking up posts. A care certificate to ensure healthcare assistants and social care workers have the right skills and training. Every patient should have the names of a responsible consultant and nurse listed above their bed. Mr Hunt added: "Today's measures are a blueprint for restoring trust, reinforcing professional pride in frontline staff and above all giving confidence that they will be given the best and safest care and the way to do that is to be completely open and transparent. But of the 281 recommendations the government says have been met, one in four have not been accepted in full. For example, the inquiry called for a system of registration for healthcare assistants, but the care certificate being introduced falls short of that. Meanwhile, the inquiry wanted the duty of candour to apply to individuals not just organisations. Nonetheless, inquiry chair Robert Francis QC said he was happy, describing the government's response as a "comprehensive collection of measures".

Upcoming training and workshops:

Date 5th February 2014 Course DoLS Awareness Target Group Managers and Senior Staff in care homes settings (Learning Disabilities and Older Peoples services) Multi agency Staff based in adult social care teams, care homes, nursing homes, hospitals, day centres and community staff in Solihull Mandatory for multiagency Leads and Practitioners involved in the investigation process Multi-agency Leads and Practitioners who have regular contact with adults at risk Managers and Senior Staff in care homes settings (Learning Disabilities and Older Peoples services) Managers and Senior staff who can cascade the key learning from this conference within their own agencies. Best Interest Assessors, AMHP's and Social Workers Time/s 9:30 - 12:30 Venue The Civic Suite, Solihull

11th February 2014

Financial Abuse

9:30 - 4:30

Sans Souci Training Centre, Solihull

26th February 2014

Safeguarding Adults Level 2 Refresher SA & Decision Making

9:30 - 4:30

Sans Souci Training Centre, Solihull

5th March 2014

9:30 - 4:30

Sans Souci Training Centre, Solihull

12th March 2014

DoLS Awareness

1:30 - 4:30

The Civic Suite, Solihull

14th March 2014

Financial Abuse Conference

9:30 - 4:30

The Civic Suite, Solihull

19th March 2014

MCA 2005: Report Writing and Court Skills

9:30 - 4:30

Sans Souci Training Centre, Solihull

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 ssab@solihull.gov.uk or fax to 0121 788 4414.

To report abuse please call 0121 704 8007 (Office Hours), Emergency Duty Team on 0121 605 6060 (Out of Hours), email ccadults@solihull.gov.uk or report online at www.solihull.gov.uk/adultabuse

Contacts:
Sue Walton Solihull Safeguarding Adults Board Business Manager 0121 788 4392 susan.walton@solihull.gov.uk Joan McHugh SSAB Development Manager 0121 788 4385 joan.mchugh@solihull.gov.uk

Lyn Skipp SSAB Management Support 0121 788 4390 lyn.skipp@solihull.gov.uk

Ben Gorman SSAB Team Administrator 0121 788 4387 ben.gorman@solihull.gov.uk

Did you know?

Did you know? The Vetting and Barring Service have produced an updated e-guide for employers on how to complete a DBS application form? Read DBS Application Guide here.