Agenda item

To consider a report of the Executive Director Core Services (Item 4a) and the Barnsley Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report 2020-21 (Item 4b)

The following witnesses were welcomed to the meeting:

Bob Dyson, Independent Chair, BSAB

Wendy Lowder, Executive Director – Adults & Communities, BMBC

Julie Chapman, Service Director – Adult Social Care & Health, BMBC

Cath Erine, Barnsley Safeguarding Adults Board Manager, BMBC

Cllr Jenny Platts, Cabinet Spokesperson – Adults & Communities, BMBC

Susan Brook, Designated Nurse Safeguarding Adults, Barnsley Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)

Chief Superintendent James Abdy, Barnsley District Commander, South Yorkshire Police (SYP)

Becky Hoskins, Deputy Director of Nursing & Quality, Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (BHNFT)

Emma Cox, Assistant Director of Nursing, Quality & Professions, South West Yorkshire Partnership Foundation Trust (SWYPFT)

Members were shown a presentation about the work of the BSAB and were invited to consider a report of the Executive Director Core Services (Item 4a) and the Barnsley Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report 2020-21 (Item 4b).  Bob Dyson introduced the BSAB Annual Report, highlighting that everything had changed during the pandemic and creative ways of working had to be developed. 

In the ensuing discussion, and in response to detailed questioning and challenge the following matters were highlighted:

A huge amount of awareness raising and training has been done around self-neglect and hoarding.    Through the Safer Neighbourhood Service, a hoarding support group has been developed.  The issues and triggers to this behaviour are now better understood, and early help can stop the situation spiralling out of control.  It is estimated that nationally between 3% - 7% of  people have problematic issues with hoarding and this has increased during the pandemic through proactive targetted work, which should be seen as a positive.  It was felt that there is a need to mobilise strategic resources and connect the 'front line', engaging others in the community such as the local hairdressers, the Post Office etc.  Elected Members also have a role to play in reporting concerns.

Residents of care homes are subject to a full needs assessment with twice yearly reviews.  A  contract monitoring system is in place for the care homes and social care work closely with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to ensure care homes reach the required standards of care.  There is an established care home network which brings together SWYFT, Public Health and managers of care homes and other health professionals such as the diabetes nurse, podiatrist etc. to ensure needs are met and information received is shared and acted upon.  If a care home has to stop taking residents due to negative inspection findings, social care and the CQC work with managers and staff, residents and their families to understand what has happened and to recommend and monitor improvements to raise standards of care.  However, this will take time as sustained improvement will take time to embed.  In such instances, it is not advisable to move residents out of care homes unless absolutely necessary, as this causes major disruption and can have negative impacts on the lives of residents. 

The BSAB Audit process is  a mechanism for learning from both good and poor practice, with findings from reviews disseminated amongst all partners, actions and recommendations followed through and embedded into practice.  The process also ensures the Board is abiding by its own policies, and provides feedback to staff.  A Peer Review is due to take place in around 6 months' time and the findings will be shared with the Scrutiny Committee.       

It can be difficult to engage individuals and obtain consent from them.  Often, individuals view the way they live their lives as the norm, and do not want any help.  It is essential that staff take the time to develop a good relationship to help and support individuals, and they will try different methods to achieve this.  Financial abuse can be difficult to deal with, particularly if family members are involved and workers have to initiate an often delicate and difficult conversation to encourage individuals to open up to them.

Communication is one of the biggest challenges facing the BSAB.  The new Communication Plan will help the wider population to understand what safeguarding is about, and what responsibilities they have.  A considerable amount of work has been done, with easy to understand information provided in many formats.  Elected Members have a role to play in sharing the message amongst their networks and in the community.  There is a regional Safeguarding Awareness week in November to get the messages across.  Local partners such as Barnsley FC and the local market are involved and leaflets etc will be distributed at the transport interchange.  There is a reluctance within communities to report safeguarding concerns, awareness raising is being tackled by public facing events with faith groups and others.  Elected Members are in a good position to help with this as they have local knowledge.   

All agencies involved in safeguarding have high selection and recruitment standards to ensure only the very best levels of service.  For example, the police selection process consists of a stakeholder group, who submit questions in advance of interviews.  Once employed there is ongoing monitoring and development of individuals, with a structured plan to address any development and training issues.  Individuals are rigorously vetted through the DBS process.  It is not yet clear how the new Adult Social Care Bill will help with the high turnover of care workers, particularly within domiciliary care.  Providers hold responsibility for staff training, but multi-agency training through the BSAB is also available to them. 

There has been an audit following the sad deaths of four young homeless individuals in Barnsley.  It was found that all of them had troubled lives from a very young age.  A joined up approach is needed across children's and adults services to ensure people don't fall through the gaps.  Work is now being done through the Safer Partnership Board to look at housing and other issues such as transition to address what may have led the individuals to become homeless.  The Multi agency Panel looks at people who are struggling but don't qualify for formal safeguarding intervention and is able to offer help through partners.  Work with private landlords has not progressed due to the pandemic but will be picked up as those with private landlords don't have the same services as those with a social landlord.  A private sector housing plan is to be brought forward shortly.  The Police work across all types of tenancy and are ideally placed to refer in to the process.

Members were advised that the most effective way to report a safeguarding concern is through Adult Social Care.  There is a robust 'front door', referrals are triaged and the most appropriate response is  given.  Adult Social Care sits within the Customer Access Team (CAT) and feedback is given to every referral.  Interim arrangements fall within the Better Lives Barnsley Programme.  Members will be provided with the relevant contact phone number.

RESOLVED that

(i)            Witnesses be thanked for their attendance and contribution and for the excellent work of the BSAB in safeguarding vulnerable people in Barnsley;

(ii)          Members continue to raise awareness of safeguarding and report concerns in their communities, and

(iii)         Members be provided with the contact number for reporting safeguarding concerns.