Issue - meetings

Annual Report of the Chair of the Torbay and Devon Safeguarding Adults Partnership, attached.

Mr Northcott will be in attendance (via Teams) to present the Report.

RESOLVED that the TDSAP be thanked for their work and the production of an informative Annual Report.

(Councillors Biederman and Whitton attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and spoke to this item).

The Cabinet considered the Report of the Chair of the Torbay and Devon Safeguarding Adults Partnership (TDSAP) and the Chair of the Board, Paul Northcott, attended the meeting remotely to present the Report. The Cabinet noted that it was a statutory requirement, under the Care Act 2014, for each Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB) to produce and publish an Annual Report and present this to Health and Wellbeing Board(s).  As in previous years, the TDSAP would present the Annual Report to the relevant Scrutiny Committee and the Cabinet.

The TDSAP provided strategic leadership for adult safeguarding across Torbay & Devon and was independent, with an independent chair. It acted as the key mechanism for agreeing how agencies worked together to safeguard and promote the safety and wellbeing of adults at risk and/or in vulnerable situations.

The Report outlined the structure of the TDSAP, noting that it had undertaken a review of its subgroup structures to ensure they remained fit for purpose and in section 4 of the Report, its partnership Members which included the Statutory Partners.

In terms of safeguarding activity, the Report highlighted that in Devon the number of concerns had continued to rise, however in Torbay the number remained at the same level as in 2021/22. However, whilst both authorities had seen an increase in the number of reported concerns, both were still under the national rate.

The number of safeguarding adults enquiries, (concerns that met the criteria for further section 42 enquiries) undertaken by both authorities, had increased over the last three years. Both authorities were again below the national rate for section 42 enquiries. However, the TDSAP would continue to monitor data to identify trends and learning that could improve service delivery.

Section 6 outlined the Safeguarding Adults Reviews (SAR’s) and activity during 2021/22. There had been four SAR referrals during 2021-2022 which had met the Care Act Criteria for a SAR.

Section 7 highlighted the work of all the subgroups including the Community Reference Group, Learning & Improvement Subgroup, Performance and Quality Assurance Subgroup and the Operational Delivery Group.

The Strategic Priorities for the TDSAP had been agreed at a Development Day in July 2021, attended by TDSAP Partners. Four priorities had subsequently been published in the 2021-2024 TDSAP Business Plan, outlined below.

·         to embed the learning from Safeguarding Adult Reviews (SARs) into

organisational practice;

·         to work with partners to better understand and reduce the risk of ‘Hidden Harm’, especially in the context of COVID 19;

·         to improve outcomes for people with needs for care and support by

finding the right solution for them; and

·         improving Involvement and Engagement with people in receipt of safeguarding services.

The Report concluded with the Key Partner Achievements During 2021/22 and also looked ahead with the subgroups continuing to manage, monitor and deliver the aims of the 2021-2024 strategic priorities.

Members welcome the work of the Board and thanked the Chair for his robust and strong  ...  view the full minutes text for item 271