Agenda item

Report of the Director of Community & Children’s Services.

The Sub Committee welcomed Dr Adi Cooper, Independent Chair of the City and Hackney Safeguarding Adults Board, who presented the Board’s annual report for 2014/15.

Dr Cooper reported that this year was the first time safeguarding adults had been put on a statutory footing, and key responsibilities had been set out for Boards. Members noted the City and Hackney Board already met these, owing to Dr Cooper and her predecessor Fran Pearson. Members noted this report focussed on the lessons learned over the past year, and ensuring this learning is embedded in practice. The strategy for 2015-2020 was currently being consulted on, and Members noted it was this that future annual reports would measure performance against.

How does the City and Hackney Safeguarding Adults Board ensure that the training programme for City-based staff is effective?

Dr Cooper advised that training and development opportunities were offered to all staff, as well as to the voluntary sector and partner agencies. The Board was currently mapping the training being offered, the intention was for a mechanism to be put in place to assess whether training needs were being met, before outcomes could be evaluated.

Given next year’s Annual Report will be the first since the Safeguarding Adults Boards became statutory, what do you envisage the report would be focussing on?

Dr Cooper advised that there were specific areas officers would be asked to pursue and develop, but these were not unique to the City, being influenced by new areas included in the Care Act. Dr Cooper took the opportunity to congratulate officers on the awareness-raising work carried out over the past year.

Does the Winterbourne Concordat apply to the City?

Officers advised that, although no residents in the City met the criteria of the Winterbourne review, the outcomes of that review had been applied to the service in general. Officers also advised that this would be included in future annual reports, and that they would also be clearer in drawing out City-specific information.

How is the gap between Children’s and Adults’ services managed?

Dr Cooper reported that this was an issue that had come about as a result of legislative changes over the past few years, and was on the national agenda. Members noted that the City and Hackney Safeguarding Adults Board was involved with the development of national policy and guidance and, although there was no strategic ‘quick fix’, the gap could be mitigated on an operational basis. Officers agreed, advising that, at the City, the same officers oversaw both areas and, as such, the structural arrangements in place significantly limited the risk of gaps occurring in the transition process between children and adults services.

Does the City have adequate staffing levels to manage the potentially high levels of mental health care needed for older people?

Officers confirmed that issues concerning capacity and old age had recently come to the forefront, with a lot of nervousness about the continuation of care in light of cuts to budgets nationally, but advised that there were four fully qualified social workers who could assess all adults in the City with mental health needs, in addition to a locum social worker.

The Chairman thanked Dr Adi Cooper for her presentation.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.