Safeguarding adults' referrals in the Eastern region: an investigation into varying referral rates
| Pages | 137-149 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/14668201111160732 |
| Date | 17 June 2011 |
| Published date | 17 June 2011 |
| Author | Helen Thacker |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Sociology |
Research and practice paper
Safeguarding adults’ referrals in the
Eastern region: an investigation into
varying referral rates
Helen Thacker
Abstract
Purpose – This paper aims to respond to the findings of the initial phase of the Safeguarding Adults
Programme (November 2009-March 2010), which found an unexpected inverse relationship between
referral rate for safeguarding adults and population size of local authority in the data captured from April
2008 to March 2009.
Design/methodology/approach – An analysis of regional safeguarding referral rates relative to
population with a breakdown by service groups was undertaken; statistics from the economic deprivation
index (EDI) were also used. A questionnaire was designed and sent out to the authorities regarding
thresholds, eligibility,definitions, advice and information available to referrers, accuracy of recordingand
public awareness. The data analysed here cover the following year’s safeguarding referrals.
Findings – The questionnaire revealed broad differences in thresholds, eligibility, definitions, advice
and information available to referrers, accuracy of recording and public awareness campaigns across
the studied authorities. These differences contribute to obscuring real differences in underlying
processes. A highly significant relationship between EDI and safeguarding referral rates was found,
implying real differences in abuse rates driven by underlying socio-economic factors. Differences in
abuse allegations were systematic, so that authorities with a particularly high level of referrals did not
have unusually high contributions from particular service user groups or from particular referral sources.
Similarly the nature of abuse allegations did not differ between authorities with high or low-referralrates.
Originality/value – The paper investigates the reasons for variation and explores thresholds for
safeguarding referrals.
Keywords Local authorities, England, Adults, Referral rates, Socio-economic regions
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
This study undertakes an analysis of regional referral rates relative to population with a
breakdown by service groups. It investigates the reasons for variation and explores
thresholds for safeguarding referrals. The aim is to ensure better understanding and
awareness and a more uniform approach across the region.
Safeguarding referral rates have been a source of much debate over the course of the Joint
Improvement Partnership (JIP) Safeguarding Programme with questions raised about
reasons for the variability in referral rates. Reports such as Mowlam et al. (2007) and O’Keefe
et al. (2007) investigate (among other things) the prevalence of mistreatment of vulnerable
older people, exploring some of the problems and issues around definitions and gathering
qualitative and quantitative evidence of incidents and reporting of abuse.
DOI 10.1108/14668201111160732 VOL. 13 NO. 3 2011, pp. 137-149, QEmerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 1466-8203
j
THE JOURNAL OF ADULT PROTECTION
j
PAGE 137
Helen Thacker is based at
the Joint Improvement
Partnership Safeguarding
Adults Programme,
Norwich, UK.
The author would like to give
thanks to the Eastern region JIP
and Improvement East for their
support in funding this piece of
work and to the JIP
Safeguarding Adults Board for
their support and input. It would
not have been possible to
produce this report and paper
without the co-operation and
willingness to engage of the
Safeguarding Adults
Co-ordinators and Performance
Leads in the Eastern region,
who have supplied the data
from the AVAreturn and been
available to complete and in
some cases, contribute to the
production of the
questionnaires. The author
would like to thank Bridget
Penhale, for her suggestions on
the development of the
questionnaire and Ann
McDonald, for her input in
supplying references and
being available for discussion.
Thanks also go to two
anonymous reviewers for
helpful comments on an earlier
draft of this paper. Finally,the
author would like to thank
Jit Thacker for his help with the
statistical analysis.
This study was commissioned
by the JIP Safeguarding Adults
Programme Board and
Improvement East, and covers
11 local authorities in Eastern
England (hereafter referred to
as ‘‘Eastern region’’).
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