Agenda item

It is a statutory requirement for the DBCP Safeguarding Adults Boards (SAB) to publish an Annual Report each year and to present that report to the Council’s Health & Wellbeing Board.  Many Councils also request that the report is presented to Scrutiny as the report enables a discussion on the work of the Safeguarding Adults Board.

The attached report is for the year April 2022 to March 2023.The report was agreed at the September meeting of the Safeguarding Adults Boards (SABs).

The DBCP Boards have successfully worked together with joint meetings over the year

One Annual Report for both Dorset and BCP SABs has been published. Throughout this year we have delivered against all of our priorities which are set out in the annual work plan; this Annual Report summarises what the Board has achieved.

The Independent Chair of the Dorset and BCP Safeguarding Adults Board presented a report and presentation, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'A' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

It was a statutory requirement for the DBCP Safeguarding Adults Boards (SAB) to publish an Annual Report each year and to present that report to the Council’s Health & Wellbeing Board.  Many Councils also requested that the report was presented to Scrutiny, as the report enabled a discussion on the work of the Safeguarding Adults Board.

The attached report was for the year April 2022 to March 2023. The report was agreed at the September meeting of the Safeguarding Adults Boards (SABs).  The DBCP Boards had successfully worked together with joint meetings over the year. One Annual Report for both Dorset and BCP SABs had been published. Throughout this year the Board had delivered against all its priorities which were set out in the annual work plan; this Annual Report summarised what the Board has achieved.

The Committee discussed the report and presentation, and comments were made, including:

• In response to a query regarding the differences in data being collected by BCP and Dorset, the Committee was advised of that it was difficult to compare local authorities data and the reasons for this were outlined including, the different arrangements at the front doors of the services.  It was also highlighted that Dorset and BCP had very different demographics which meant benchmarking them against each other was not beneficial
• The Committee was advised of the process used by the service once it received a safeguarding concern and the breakdown of primary support reasons provided during the last quarter.
• The Committee was advised of the importance of transitional safeguarding, what that entailed and how it was managed when a safeguarding concern was referred.
• In response to a concern that the BCP data did not include a self category, the Committee was advised it was included under the neglect data and the work being done in that area was highlighted.
• The Chair of the SAB advised that next year she would ensure the data for self neglect would be separately accounted for. ACTION.
• Following another query regarding the differences in the data provided, the Committee was advised that the SAB did not have its own data analysts and used data provided from Dorset and BCP Council.
• The Chair of the SAB welcomed any further consideration from the Committee about how they would like to see the data presented and broken down in the next Annual Report.  ACTION.
• Following further concern about the differences in data, the Chair of the SAB stressed that what was important was the Boards worked with local analysts to make sure it scrutinised the data through its Quality Assurance Subgroup and identified areas where more in-depth auditing was required to understand what was going on locally.
• In response to a query, the Committee was advised there had been an increase in safeguarding concerns and referrals and the reasons for that were detailed including increases in statutory safeguarding, adult review referrals and the undertaking and commissioning of those, and that people were more aware of adult safeguarding.
• Some further clarification over the terminology used was provided to the Committee.
• The Chair of the Committee concluded the item by thanking the Chair of the SAB for her presentation and requested that the action regarding the data breakdown be considered for the next report.

RESOLVED that the Committee note the report which informed about how the SAB had carried out its responsibilities to prevent abuse, harm and neglect of adults with care and support needs during 2022-2023.