Issue - meetings

The Panel considered the report of the Independent Chair of the LSAB introducing the 2016/17 Annual Report.

Robert Templeton (Independent Chair of the LSAB), Emma Gilhespy (Business Coordinator, Local Safeguarding Children Board), Francesca Mountfort (Information Analyst) and Joe Hannigan were in attendance and, with the consent of the Chair, addressed the meeting.

The Panel noted that the Board’s Chair had changed within the last 12 months and requested that the new Chair review and discuss a number of matters including:

·  The new Independent Chair of the Board’s initial comments on the position of adult social care and safeguarding provision within the City;

·  The increasing possibilities for interaction and information exchange between the regions Local Safeguarding boards;

·  Increasing the involvement of service users to develop the Board’s Plans and Strategies and a need for Adult Social Care Packages to reflect and support the cultural heritage of clients;

·  The style and format of the report.  The Panel encouraged the authors to use a more consistent and plainer English within future reports, but acknowledge that parts of the report had been written under a different Chair. The Panel acknowledged that there was still an issue with the quality of some of the data collected but indicated that the use of specific data sets within the report would support the narrative of the report;

·  The Panel’s concerns over the terminology used with the report to describe financial abuse of those in care.  The Panel recognised the difficulties supporting clients to make their own financial choices was balanced against the possibility of the client making poor choices.  The Panel questioned officers on what levels of safeguarding existed to reduce the risk of vulnerable adults being taken advantage of financially;

·  The Panel’s concerns over the issue of neglect and isolation.  The Panel recognised the dangers caused by isolation, particularly for older members of society outside of formal care, and noted that there had been a scrutiny inquiry into the matter in 2017;

·  The Panel sought clarification on whether there were any noticeable impacts that could be attributed to recent changes within the benefit system.  Officers responded that there was no strong evidence at this stage; and

·  The value of the work undertaken by different agencies such as the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service in reaching out to clients.

RESOLVED that the Panel

(i)  Noted the Local Safeguarding Adult Board report;

(ii)  Recommended that for future reports care be taken to ensure that a clearer and more consistent use of plain English is used and that findings are supported by data;

(iii)  Noted the involvement of agencies such as the Hampshire and Fire and Rescue Service;

(iv)  Recommend that the Board seek to increase involvement of service users in the workings of the LSAB, and find a way to report their voice within the report; and

(v)  Recommended that the Board review how the cultural requirements of its service users could be better reflected in their care packages.