Issue - meetings

Presented by Sandie Keene, Chair of Rotherham Safeguarding Adult Board

Sandie Keene, Chair of Rotherham Safeguarding Adult Board, presented the Board’s 2015-16 annual report.

Whilst good progress had been made there was still much to do.  It was the Board’s aim to ensure that everyone in the Borough shared its zero tolerance of neglect and abuse of individuals with care and support needs whether in a family, community or care setting.

Sandie highlighted:-

-          The Board had reviewed its membership and agreed its priorities

-          Insufficient knowledge about the trends and comparisons on safeguarding issues in the Borough in comparison to other areas

-          Performance information beginning to grow and develop

-          Increased quality assurance of individual cases required

-          Emerging Safeguarding Adult Reviews of historical cases

-          Discussion regarding creation of a budget for 2017-18 with possible contributions from agencies

Discussion ensued on the report with the following issues raised/clarified:-

·           There was a backlog in the number of Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards assessments that the Council had to carry out.  Adult Social Care was looking to resolve the situation as soon as possible

·           Care homes continued to be of concern with regard to the quality of safeguarding issues which hopefully the alignment of homes to GP practices would ease

·           How could care home staff be upskilled to add to the quality of care without funding or resources?  (It was hoped to have a representative from the providers on the Board in the future)

·           It had been apparent at the Older People’s Summit that people were not aware what the Safeguarding Adults Board was

It was noted that the Strategic Director for Adult Care and Housing was conducting a piece of work on care homes and planning for the future as well as the Local Authority and statutory organisation having a duty with regard to adult safeguarding.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the report be noted.

(2)  That Sharon Kemp discuss with AnneMarie Lubanski and the CCG to improve the quality of care and the provision of care homes for the future.

Action:-  Sharon Kemp