Adult safeguarding: early messages from peer reviews

Published date11 April 2011
Pages89-99
Date11 April 2011
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/14668201111139745
AuthorRichard Humphries
Subject MatterHealth & social care,Sociology
Research paper
Adult safeguarding: early messages from
peer reviews
Richard Humphries
Abstract
Purpose – This report aims to summarise the principal conclusions from the pilot reviews and key
learning points to assist the improvement of safeguarding policy and practice.
Design/methodology/approach – A pilot programme of peer reviews of adult safeguarding
arrangements was carried out in four English local authorities by Local Government Improvement
and Development in 2009-2010. The pilot programme sought to customise, test and adapt this
established peer review methodology to adult safeguarding.
Findings – Key messages from the peer reviews of the adult safeguarding arrangements include:
outcomes and experience of people who use services; leadership, strategy and commissioning;service
delivery, effective practice and performance and resource management; and working together.
Originality/value – Councils may need to revisit how they develop their safeguarding arrangements in
the light of major policy, financial and demographic shifts over the next few years.
Keywords Adults, Peer review, Social care, Innovation
Paper type Research paper
Aims
This paper sets out the main conclusions and learning points from Local Government
Improvement and Development (LGID) (formerly IDeA)’s pilot programmeof peer reviews of
adult safeguarding arrangements carried out in four English councils between November
2009 and May 2010.
The paper is based on an original report prepared for LGID that aimed to:
Bidentify key lessons for policy and practice;
Bdisseminate findings and lessons to councils and key stakeholders; and
Binform thinking about further work and the development of the review process beyond the
pilot sites.
Introduction and background
The policy context and framework for what was originally described as adult protection has
changed substantially since the publication of No Secrets in Department of Health(2000).
Concern for vulnerable adults in receipt of community care services has been broadened
out to embrace adults in vulnerable situations arising from a range of causes and
circumstances, including those who have never had contact with, or need of, care services.
As ADASS (2005) has put it, adult safeguarding is:
DOI 10.1108/14668201111139745 VOL. 13 NO. 2 2011, pp. 89-99, QEmerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 1466-8203
j
THE JOURNAL OF ADULT PROTECTION
j
PAGE 89
Richard Humphries is an
Associate of the Adult
Safeguarding Programme,
Local Government
Improvement and
Development and a Senior
Fellow at the The King’s
Fund, London, UK.

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