To review the annual report of the Herefordshire Safeguarding Adults Board (HSAB).

The chairperson invited Ivan Powell, the Independent Chair of the Herefordshire Safeguarding Adults Board (HSAB), to present the annual report 2017/2018.

Mr. Powell introduced the report, drawing attention to the following:

i.           The function of HSAB was to oversee multi-agency safeguarding arrangements across the county.

ii.         The opportunity to speak to the committee was welcomed, especially in view of the need to raise the profile of adults safeguarding with the public.

iii.        The annual report focused on how HSAB had delivered against the following strategic priorities: partnership working; prevention and protection; communications and engagement; and operational effectiveness. 

iv.        Informed by board development days, the annual business plan formed the foundation for the work of sub-groups to deliver outcomes.

v.         Emerging issues included modern slavery and drugs activity and exploitation known as ‘county lines’.

vi.        There were issues with consistent attendance at HSAB meetings, especially by the National Probation Service, and Warwickshire and West Mercia Community Rehabilitation Company.  It was anticipated that bespoke agenda items would encourage participation at specific meetings going forward.

vii.       Although performance information from the council and health partners was timely and accurate, the police remained unable to provide meaningful data but work was ongoing to address this situation.

viii.      Although noting limitations with the national data set, the ‘proportion of people who use services who feel safe’ and the ‘proportion of people who use services who say that those services have made them feel safe and secure’ performance was considered very good.

ix.        There had been a steady reduction in the ‘number of concerns raised’ but there was still too big a gap between the number of concerns raised and the number progressing to enquiry stage, reflecting over referral by some agencies.

x.         More work was needed to embed ‘making safeguarding personal’; HSAB had disseminated Local Government Association toolkits to partner agencies.

xi.        Another area of work would be to triangulate the type of risk, the location of risk, and the person presenting the risk.

Mr. Powell responded to questions from committee members, the principal points of the discussion included:

a.         The chairperson sought clarification about the following paragraph in the foreword to the annual report ‘We also have more to do to secure the engagement and feedback from adults who have been involved in safeguarding so that we can learn from their experiences.  Healthwatch are leading on this work locally and I am determined that we will build on what has been a slow start for this piece of work.’

Mr. Powell advised the committee that, informed by the exemplary work of Cheshire East Safeguarding Adults Board, HSAB had tried to secure engagement and feedback in previous years but this had not been effective; it was challenging to obtain experiences without retraumatising the individuals concerned.  Healthwatch Herefordshire had offered to support this process and a short survey had been developed to prompt appropriate conversations.  The number of respondents remained low but represented an improvement on the previous approaches. 

Mr. Stead added that Healthwatch Herefordshire  ...  view the full minutes text for item 39