The document discusses personal dignity, respect, abuse, and neglect of vulnerable adults receiving social care services. It notes that abuse negatively impacts health and independence. The local authority is responsible for establishing a multi-agency partnership to lead on safeguarding adults and ensure they can live free from abuse. In 2007/08 there were 258 safeguarding referrals in Barnet, coming mostly from health services. Referral rates in Barnet have been lower than expected but are increasing with improved safeguarding arrangements.
1 of 2
Download to read offline
More Related Content
Personal Dignity And Respect
1. Personal Dignity and Respect
The experience of abuse and neglect is likely to have a significant impact on a person's health
and well being. By its very nature, abuse – the misuse of power by one person over another –
has a large impact on a person’s independence. We know that neglect can prevent a person
dependent on others for their basic needs exercise choice and control over the fundamental
aspects of their life and experience humiliation and loss of dignity.
Vulnerable adults in receipt of social care services experience a higher prevalence of abuse
and neglect than the general population. The Local Authority has the responsibility for
establishing a multi-agency partnership to lead on Safeguarding Adults which needs to ensure
that under the local Safeguarding procedures every adult is supported to retain their
independence, well-being and choice and to access their human right to live a life that is free
from abuse and neglect. While the Local Authority leads on this, all appropriate statutory
agencies are responsible for achieving it.
Levels of referrals into the Safeguarding Team have been lower than expected for the
population of Barnet. In 2007/08 with targeted focus to improve Safeguarding arrangements
levels of referrals are moving more in line with what would be expected. During 2007/08 there
were 258 people referred under the Barnet safeguarding arrangements. The chart below sets
out the source of the referrals and the types of alleged abuse.
Table: Safeguarding referrals per client group for 2007/08 per 10,000 18-64
Older Learning Physical and Mental HIV/AIDS Drug Carers
People Disability Sensory Health service
Impairment users
Barnet 28.59 2.97 1.58 1.48 0.00 0.10 0.00
IPF 41.36 3.32 1.24 1.46 0.02 0.05 0.06
England 47.34 4.80 1.94 1.96 0.01 0.11 0.10
Table: Total Number of safeguarding referrals were made by 'No Secrets' MAPP partners in the
NHS, Police, Housing, Probation, Criminal Justice services and CSCI in 2007-08
Barnet IPF Data England (Average)
NHS 52 32 50
Police 2 5 21
Housing agencies. 8 5 10
Probation and criminal justice. 0 0 6
CSCI. 2 4 10
Barnet has a high number of registered care homes within the Borough attracting self-funders
and people placed by other Local Authorities to reside within them. Of the total safeguarding
referrals of people whose circumstances made them vulnerable for 2007-08 reported 27 were
2. buying their own care without financial support from the council, over 10% of referrals. With
increased awareness of safeguarding and the introduction of new statutory responsibilities
under the Mental Health Act, we expect for the increase in referrals from self-funders under
safeguarding to increase further.