Agenda item

This report introduces the Kent and Medway Safeguarding Adults Board’s (KMSAB) Annual Report for April 2023–March 2024.  The Annual Report sets out the responsibilities and structure of the Board and details how the multi-agency partnership delivered against its strategic priorities for the year.  The report also provides information pertaining to safeguarding adults reviews and safeguarding activity.

Discussion:

The Independent Chair, Kent and Medway Safeguarding Adults Board (KMSAB) introduced the annual report which detailed the multiagency delivery of priorities for the year.

Discussions took place around the increased unacceptable abuse experienced by carers and staff in front line services. The Board was informed that services had specific plans and processes in place to manage instances of abuse of care staff.

In response to questions on maintaining achievements, the Board was informed that finding support for carers must remain a priority, the ability to engage and deal with reported crimes was at the forefront of the work undertaken by the Police. It was also vital that lessons were learnt to reduce occurrences of repeated mistakes. It was however acknowledged that there was often strain in the system in areas such as resourcing which may affect the ability to meet priorities, but they were always exploring ways to address issues presented.

It was asked how the private sector was engaged and worked with the KMSAB. The Board learned that good links had been established and were being maintained through regular meetings with groups such as the Kent Integrated Care Alliance. It was vital to ensure that the private sector had a firm understanding of safeguarding and that they were fully supported.

It was asked what areas Medway performed well in, what could be done better and how the Health and Wellbeing Board could support the work of the Kent and Medway Safeguarding Adults Board. The Board was informed that Medway’s unitary response was very effective, as well as the ability to bring its partnership together to address issues, there was recognition that continuous improvement was needed, whilst remaining positive and confident to step into difficult and challenging situations. There was improvement to the response of issues which was driven by confidence in reporting.

Board Members commented that the introduction of Medway Intensive Support Team (MIST) was a good initiative and an innovative way to finding solutions to issues identified.

In response to questions around how data was being shared and how ensuring that actions were being taken as a result of findings in the report, as well as ensuring that self-assessment tools were being used, the Board was informed that the focus was on improvement in practice.  The Board was advised that the KMSAB self-assessment framework sets the safeguarding standards that agencies must meet. Agencies grade themselves red, amber or green and must present their update and evidence to a peer review team. There was a quality assurance working group in place made up of all agencies and their job was to ensure quality of delivery and measure delivery against standards put in place.

It was made clear that as society continued to grow, there would be increase in safeguarding reporting. It was also important to note that the same safeguarding issues continued to occur and that what good looks like did not always equate to a reduction in safeguarding numbers.

It was added that it was often not immediately recognised that an issue may be safeguarding, and this often led to occurrence of repeated safeguarding incidences. It was however vital that services continued to invest in learning. The social work teams operated on the basis of reflective practice and being clear on the difference being made to people’s lives.

The Board was informed of the work undertaken by Southend City Council who were also a unitary authority, on data sets that overlayed with different agencies and included information such as crime data which allowed for increased targeted work to be carried out. The KMSAB would explore how this could be replicated in Kent and Medway.

Decision:

a)     The Board noted the report

b)     The Public Health Team to support with exploration of possible replication of interpretation of data and system tool similar to that used by Southend City Council

c)     Exploration by Medway Council of a protocol in managing abuse of frontline staff that could be shared with other agencies.