If you work in general practice, click here to see what you need to know about safeguarding and information sharing.

Safeguarding is effectively protecting children and adults at risk from abuse or neglect.  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 in 2014 which came into effect in April 2015.

The Safeguarding professionals and The Quality Team have a system of quality assurance processes in place which provides information about the safety, effectiveness and patient experience of services commissioned by East and North Herts CCG. The purpose is to monitor provider quality information and data for trends and themes, compliance with local and national requirements (all providers of NHS care including: acute hospitals, care homes (nursing and residential), community and mental health services, independent hospitals and domiciliary care agencies. A part of this process is to undertake a detailed analysis, interpretation and triangulation of hard and soft intelligence. The information from both the data and from regular announced and unannounced visits to providers to inform key lines of enquiry for follow up with providers at quality review meetings and where necessary to escalate any immediate or emergent issues and concerns.

Most services commissioned by East and North Herts CCG are required to be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The aim of the safeguarding professionals is to ensure that commissioned services promote and protect individual rights, independence and well-being and secure assurance that the child or adult thought to be at risk, stays safe.  Also that they are effectively safeguarded against abuse, neglect, discrimination, embarrassment or poor treatment. The safeguarding professionals lead on issues of safeguarding across the health economy and provide expert advice and participate in case review processes and investigations

The safeguarding professionals provide quality advice and training to providers and quality expertise to contract meetings, develop, negotiate and monitor CQUIN (Commissioning for Quality and Innovation) schemes and quality schedules with providers and work with contracting colleagues to ensure contractual compliance. We also ensure that there are performance and assurance controls in place for healthcare providers in relation to safeguarding which are monitored and reviewed.

You can now also download the Hertfordshire Safeguarding Adult Board (HSAB) Mental Capacity App is a free app which has been designed to be a prompt for professionals across Hertfordshire. The app provides simple guidance on what to consider when completing a Safeguarding Adult concern form, how to make safeguarding personal, where to send the concern form etc. The links in the information section are to the relevant local services. Search your relevant app store for HSAB SAFA and download it now. There is also a poster promoting the app available below.

The Multi-agency Safeguarding Adults from Abuse Policy and Procedure can be found below or at https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/services/adult-social-services/report-a-concern-about-an-adult/hertfordshire-safeguarding-adults-board/hertfordshire-safeguarding-adults-board.aspx