Adult safeguarding and Domestic Abuse
Safeguarding is everybody’s business
Herts Valleys CCG works with our statutory partners to promote the safety and wellbeing of vulnerable adults and children who may be at risk of being abused, neglected or exploited, and to safeguard them from harm.
Herts Valleys CCG is a member of the Hertfordshire Safeguarding Children Partnership (HSCP) and the Hertfordshire Safeguarding Adults Board (HSAB). As members of these boards, we work in partnership to fulfil shared safeguarding responsibilities and to ensure that there are effective NHS safeguarding arrangements across the local health community.
Safeguarding professionals ensure that commissioned services promote and protect individual rights, independence and well-being. They secure assurance that the child or adult thought to be at risk stays safe and that they are effectively safeguarded against abuse, neglect, discrimination, embarrassment or poor treatment.
All NHS commissioned services have a key role to play in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk of harm, as safeguarding is everybody’s business. Safeguarding children is a statutory duty under section 11 of the Children Act 2004 and in accordance with government guidance in ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018’. The framework for Adult Safeguarding was set out in the Care Act 2014.
What to do if you suspect someone is at risk?
What should you do if you suspect an adult is being abused or neglected?
If you or someone you know is being abused or neglected please contact Health and Community Services on:
0300 123 4042
Or for adults receiving mental health services please contact Hertfordshire Partnership Foundation Trust on:
0300 777 0707
If there is immediate danger to life, risk of injury or if a crime is being committed dial 999.
If there is no immediate risk but a police response is required as soon as practicable due to the seriousness of the incident and / or potential loss of evidence then dial 101.
All information will be treated as confidential although there may be occasions when some information needs to be shared when it is in the best interest of the adult at risk.
Safeguarding Adults Leaflet and Briefs
Read HSAB Learning Bulletin - December 2021
Read Domestic Abuse Information for practitioners: Signs and response to disclosure
Read Self-neglect and the Mental Capacity Act Adult safeguarding brief
Year of Learning - April 2021 ACE's/ Trauma Informed Practice
Read the Safeguarding Adults Leaflet
Read Covid-19 Adult Safeguarding brief
Read Flu Vaccination and Consent Adult Safeguarding brief
Read Consent for Covid-19 Vaccination and The Mental Capacity Act
Read Updated Modern Slavery and Trafficking RCN Pocket Guide
Read Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking - Rapid Read
Read Domestic Abuse - How to ask the question
Read Modern Slavery and Human trafficking
Joint Adult and Children Safeguarding newsletters
Learning Hub newsletter
Categories of abuse
The Care Act 2014 and the Care and Support Statutory Guidance define the categories of abuse.
This is not an exhaustive list but an illustration as to the sort of behaviour that could give rise to a Safeguarding concern.
Physical – including assault, hitting, pushing, slapping, kicking, misuse of medication, restraint or inappropriate sanctions
Domestic - including psychological, physical, sexual, financial, emotional abuse and so called ‘honour’ based violence
Sexual abuse – Including rape, indecent exposure, sexual harassment, inappropriate looking or touching, sexual teasing or innuendo, sexual photography, subjection to pornography or witnessing sexual acts, indecent exposure and sexual assault or sexual acts to which the adult has not consented or was pressured into consenting
Sexual Exploitation - Involves exploitative situations, contexts and relationships which can be face to face or online, where adults at risk (or a third person or persons) receive 'something' (e.g. food, accomodation, drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, affection, gifts, money) as a result of them performing, and/or another or others performing on them, sexual activities. It affects men as well as women. People who are sexually exploited do not always perceive that they are being exploited
Psychological – including emotional abuse, threats of harm or abandonment, deprivation of contact, humiliation, blaming, controlling, intimidation, coercion, harassment, verbal abuse, cyber bullying, isolation or unreasonable and unjustified withdrawal of services or supportive networks
Financial or material abuse – including theft, fraud, internet scamming, coercion in relations to an adult’s financial affairs or arrangements, including in connection with wills, property, inheritance or financial transactions, or the misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits
Modern Slavery – encompasses slavery, human trafficking, forced labour and domestic servitude
Discriminatory abuse – including forms of harassment, slurs or similar treatment; because of race, gender and gender identity, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion
Organisational abuse – Including neglect and poor care practice within an institution or specific care setting such as a hospital or care home, for example, or in relation to care provided in one’s own home. This may range from one off incidents to on-going ill-treatment. It can be through neglect or poor professional practice as a result of the structure, policies, processes and practices within an organisation
Neglect and acts of omission - including ignoring medical, emotional or physical care needs, failure to provide access to appropriate health, care and support or educational services, the withholding of the necessities of life, such as medication, adequate nutrition and heating
- Self-neglect – This covers a wide range of behaviour; neglecting to care for one’s personal hygiene, health or surroundings and includes behaviour such as hoarding.
Multi-Agency policy, procedure and practice for working with adults and risk of abuse or neglect in Hertfordshire:
Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking
Modern Slavery
The Modern Slavery Act 2015 has introduced changes in UK law focused on increasing the transparency in supply chains and ensuring our supply chains are free from modern slavery (that is slavery, servitude, forced and compulsory labour and human trafficking). As both a local leader in commissioning health care services for the population of west Hertfordshire and as an employer, Herts Valleys CCG provides the following statement in respect to its commitment to, and efforts in, preventing slavery and human trafficking practices in the supply chain and employment practices.
Our organisation
As an authorised statutory body, the CCG is the lead commissioner for health care services (including acute, community, mental health) in the west Hertfordshire area (including Watford, Dacorum, St. Albans & Harpenden and Hertsmere) covering a population of 639,566.
Our commitment to prevent slavery and human trafficking
The CCG Board, Senior Management Team and all employees support the Government’s objectives to eradicate modern slavery and human trafficking and recognise the significant role the NHS has to play in both combatting it and supporting victims. We are committed to ensuring our supply chains and business activities are free from ethical and labour standard abuses and in so far as is possible to holding our suppliers to account to do likewise.
Our approach
Our overall approach is governed by compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements and the maintenance and development of good practice in the fields of contracting and employment.
Our policies and arrangements
Our recruitment processes are highly mature; requiring practices that adhere to safe recruitment principles. This includes strict requirements in respect of identity checks, work permits and criminal records. We pay all our employees above the minimum wage.
Our policies such as Bullying and Harassment at Work policy, Safeguarding Adults at Risk policy, Individual Grievance policy, Equality and Diversity policy and Whistleblowing policy provide an additional platform for our employees to raise concerns about poor working practices.
Our procurement approach follows the Crown Commercial Service standard.
Our anti-slavery programme works with multi-agency partners within Hertfordshire to:
- Support our staff to understand and respond to modern slavery and human trafficking; the impact that each and every individual working in the NHS can have in keeping present and potential future victims of modern slavery and human trafficking safe.
- Ensure that all NHS commissioned services staff have access to formal training on modern slavery and human trafficking which will provide the latest information and skills to deal with it.
For further information about Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking, including how to report a concern go to:
Domestic Abuse
For further information about domestic abuse, including how to report a concern go to: https://www.hertssunflower.org/support-during-coronavirus.aspx
The COVID-19 Interim Domestic Abuse Referral Pathway Briefing for frontline professionals can be found here.
Domestic abuse information and materials like this poster below can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-abuse-how-to-get-help
Prevent
Groomers of all kinds prey on feelings of stress and isolation to exploit vulnerable individuals, both online and offline.
#Prevent protects individuals targeted by terrorist influences by providing local, multi-agency safeguarding support.
This video gives an introduction to how Prevent works on the ground, told by those who have come into contact with the programme.
Anyone can make a referral to Prevent. If you are concerned that someone you know is at risk of radicalisation, you can call the police on 101
to get advice or share a concern so that they can get support.
Hertfordshire’s Prevent strategy aims to reduce the threat from terrorism by stopping people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism.
Channel is part of the local Prevent strategy and is a multi-agency approach to identify and provide support to individuals who are at risk of
being drawn into terrorism.
Let’s talk about it is an initiative designed to provide practical help and guidance to the public in order to stop people becoming terrorists
or supporting terrorism. A referral can be made by completing the Prevent Referral Form.
The Prevent Lead for HVCCG is Tracey Cooper, Associate Director of Adult Safeguarding tracey.cooper20@nhs.net
See the new ACT website that encourages families and friends to report concerns that a loved one may be vulnerable to radicalisation
Prevent Handbook for CCG staff and Primary Care
Training
Click here to view A learning Approach to Adult Safeguarding.
Resources
HVCCG Safeguarding PowerPoint Presentations:
Safeguarding Adults presentation
Apps
NHSE safeguarding Adults and Children desktop app:
Hertfordshire Safeguarding Adults Board Apps:
Safeguarding Adults From Abuse App can be found in the Apple or Android app store by searching 'HSAB SAFA'
Mental Capacity Assessment App can be found in the Apple or Android app store by searching 'HSAB MCA'
HSAB Safeguarding Desktop App Link
HSAB Mental Capacity Desktop App Link
