The revised Multi-Agency Adult Safeguarding policy and procedures are now live and available to download on ADASS’ website. This document aims to ensure that there is a consistent approach to safeguarding adults across London, and includes the updated information sharing agreement.

This co-operation and information sharing for safeguarding purposes is supported by all data protection legislation where there is a lawful basis, such as the Care Act: It is important that all professionals working in Lambeth understand the duty to share information when it concerns an adults at risk, as this is an essential part of effective inter-agency working to protect Lambeth citizens.

The Community Reference Group have designed a new poster in response to survey findings that showed neglect and acts of omission were less likely to be seen as a form of abuse by those with care and support needs, their family and friends, and unpaid carers.

Neglect, or acts of omission, includes ignoring medical or physical care needs, and the withholding of necessities such as medication and adequate nutrition.

The new poster sets out to highlight some of the signs that someone may be experiencing neglect, which might include:

• Poor environmental conditions
• Inadequate heating and lighting
• Poor physical condition of the vulnerable adult
• Persons clothing is ill fitting, unclean and in poor condition
• Malnutrition
• Failure to give prescribed medication properly
• Failure to provide appropriate privacy and dignity
• Inconsistent or reluctant contact with health and social care agencies
• Isolation - denying access to callers or visitors

The Community Reference Group hope that this new poster can be made visible in as many public spaces as possible to raise awareness and help protect adults at risk.

The poster can be found alongside other leaflets and posters on our website.  

If you are concerned that someone you know may be experiencing abuse or neglect, please let Lambeth Adult Social Care know by completing our secure online form.

The Lambeth Safeguarding Adults Board recently launched new Mental Capacity Act Guidance.

This practical, easy to use tool was created by the Mental Capacity Act Subgroup and aims to give front-line workers quick access to guidance on the decision making process. It is available for use by all professionals who have to make best interests decisions, and is designed to work across multiple organisations.

Last week, this guidance tool received its formal launch at an event which focused on the theme of best interests decision making. The event was attended by a wide range of professionals working across Lambeth, and speakers from Kings College Hospital Dental Department and Fairlie House in West Norwood were able to share examples of local best practice. Attendees also heard from Alex Ruck-Keene on the application of law and best practice, and Dr Lucy Stephenson from South London and Maudlsey NHFT who spoke on the importance of encouraging advance decision making in mental health. Later in the afternoon, professionals were joined by members of the wider public, to hear from the British Institute of Human Rights, PohWER advocacy service and Compassion in Dying.

To save your own copy of the guidance, and to find out more about the Mental Capacity Act, please visit the LSAB’s Mental Capacity Act section of the website.

A key strategic aim of the Lambeth Safeguarding Adults Board (LSAB) is to raise awareness of adult safeguarding in Lambeth. This includes ensuring that everyone knows how to raise concerns that someone may be being abuse or neglected.

In 2017/18, the LSAB undertook an awareness survey to try and find out more about what people would do if they or someone they knew was being abused or neglect. Some respondents talked about how reporting adult safeguarding concerns would make them feel afraid or vulnerable, and that they might just hope someone else would do it.

The LSAB wants to make sure that people feel confident in reporting safeguarding concerns. As part of this aim, the Community Reference Group have developed a new poster which aims to quickly and simply outline who individuals can talk to if they have a concern. In outlining the different ways people can report concerns, we hope that people will feel more comfortable in approaching someone they trust to report their concerns.

By reporting abuse, you can help bring it to an end. When you report abuse, people will:

• listen to you

• take your concerns seriously

• respond sensitively

• make enquiries about the concerns

• consider the wishes of the adult at risk

• talk to the police if it is a criminal matter

• support the adult at risk to achieve the changes they want, wherever possible

• develop a plan with the adult at risk to keep them safe in the future

• consider if anyone else is at risk.

This new poster can be now be downloaded from the LSAB website alongside other information leaflets, including our easy-read document.

You can also find out more about safeguarding adults and how to raise concerns by exploring our website further.