“Everybody's Business” – engaging the independent sector. An action research project in Lancashire
| Date | 10 February 2012 |
| Published date | 10 February 2012 |
| Pages | 22-34 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/14668201211200772 |
| Author | Paul Simic,Steve Newton,Dave Wareing,Barbara Campbell,Marie Hill |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Sociology |
‘‘Everybody’s Business’’ – engaging the
independent sector. An action research
project in Lancashire
Paul Simic, Steve Newton, Dave Wareing, Barbara Campbell and Marie Hill
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate key organisational processes in managing
‘‘safeguarding’’ in relation to the independent sector, the local authority delivery arm for care.
Design/methodology/approach – The methods employed were a telephone survey (one in five
random sample of all residential and domiciliary providers in a local authority area) and follow up focus
groups (n¼2) of local authority staff and independent sectordomiciliary and residential providers, in an
action research framework. The survey was developed through expert members of a multi-agency
Project Reference Group.
Findings – Three survey domains (on ‘‘information’ ’, ‘‘training’’ and ‘‘support and advice’’) indicated
high satisfaction, but ‘‘experience of investigations’’’ low rating raised questions for further exploration
and were followed up in detail in the focus groups selected from providers with experience of
safeguarding alerts. A number of issues were raised for local policy and for safeguarding more broadly.
Research limitations/implications – The paper only assesses one local authority area. A more
balanced systems approach is needed to manage safeguarding.
Originality/value – The involvement of the independent sector in safeguarding is under-researched
and the development of processes that encourage a research culture and a systems approach are
exemplified.
Keywords Safeguarding, Action research, Vulnerable adults, Social care, Surveys
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
This is an account of an action research project, undertaken with the Lancashire
Safeguarding Adults Board and through the Social Care Partnership (SCP), a partnership of
the county council and independent sector in Lancashire, conducted between May 2009
and July 2010. The focus of the project was the engagement of the independent sector with
safeguarding as part of the overall Strategic Planning for Lancashire, operating through a
newly formed Safeguarding Adults Board and with reference to the CQC’s 2010 Inspection
of the County’s approaches to safeguarding.
The SCP has adopted processes that support commitment and continuity of leadership at
senior management level, effective working groups bringing different sectors together
(providers, the county council, and, to a lesser extent, health colleagues) with a published
programme of work, inter-agency learning events and workshops; strategic ‘‘awaydays’’
(for planning, lateral thinking and trust-building), and evidence-based approaches and
research-mindedness. This project is part of that larger process. This approach recognises
the challenges faced by organisations, and even more-so across organisational boundaries,
of learning from experience, translating that learning into new ways of doing and thinking
and, hopefully, not forgetting what’s been learned (Flynn and Williams, 2010).
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THE JOURNAL OF ADULT PROTECTION
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VOL. 14 NO. 1 2012, pp. 22-34, QEmerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 1466-8203 DOI 10.1108/14668201211200772
Paul Simic is a
Chief Executive at
Lancashire Care
Association, Leyland, UK.
Steve Newton is a Care
Consultant at Lancashire
Care Association,
Leyland, UK. Dave Wareing
is a Head of Safeguarding
at Lancashire County
Council, Preston, UK.
Barbara Campbell is a
Head of Patient Safety and
Safeguarding Lead at
North Lancashire Primary
Care Trust, Lancaster, UK.
Marie Hill is a Director at
Cornmill Nursing Home and
Lancashire Workforce
Development Partnership,
Preston, UK.
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