Referral

Safeguarding Adults - Torbay

The Care Act 2014 defines safeguarding as protecting an adult's right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect.

Adult Safeguarding duties apply to an adult who;

  • Has needs for care and support (whether or not the Local Authority is meeting any of those needs)
  • Is experiencing, or at risk of abuse and neglect
  • As a result of their care and support needs, is unable to protect themselves from the risk or experience of abuse and neglect

Identifying abuse and neglect

Incidents of abuse may be one-off or multiple and may affect one person or more. Repeated instances of poor care may be an indication of more serious problems and may be described as organisational abuse. Abuse can take place anywhere including a persons' home, hospital, care home, college and public place and by anyone. Statistically, a person is more likely to know their abuser.

  • Physical abuse
    • Including assault, hitting, slapping, pushing, misuse of medication, restraint or inappropriate physical sanctions
  • Domestic violence
    • Including psychological, physical, sexual, financial, emotional abuse and so called 'honour' based violence
  • Sexual abuse
    • Including rape, indecent exposure, sexual harassment inappropriate looking or touching, sexual teasing or innuendo, sexual photography, subjection to pornography or witnessing sexual acts and sexual assault or sexual acts to which the adult has not consented or was pressured into consenting
  • Psychological
    • Including emotional abuse, threats of harm or abandonment, deprivation of contact, humiliation, blaming, controlling, intimidation, coercion, harassment, verbal abuse, cyber bullying, isolation or unreasonable and unjustified withdrawal of services or supportive networks
  • Financial or material abuse
    • Including theft, fraud, internet scamming, coercion in relation to an adult's financial affairs or arrangements, including in connection with wills, property, inheritance or financial transactions, or the misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits
  • Modern slavery
    • Encompasses slavery, human trafficking, forced labour and domestic servitude. Traffickers and slave masters use whatever means they have at their disposal to coerce, deceive and force individuals into a life of abuse, servitude and inhumane treatment
  • Discriminatory abuse
    • Includes forms of harassment, slurs or similar treatment; because of race, gender and gender identity, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion
  • Organisational abuse
    • Including neglect and poor care practice within an institution or specific care setting such as a hospital or care home, for example, or in relation to care provided in one's own home. This may range from one off incidents to on-going ill-treatment. It can be through neglect or poor professional practice as a result of the structure, policies, processes and practices within an organisation
  • Neglect and acts of omission
    • Including ignoring medical, emotional or physical care needs, failure to provide access to appropriate health, care and support or educational services, the withholding of the necessities of life, such as medication, adequate nutrition and heating
  • Self-neglect
    • This covers a wide range of behaviour neglecting to care for one's personal hygiene, health or surroundings and includes behaviour such as hoarding

NHS Devon Safeguarding

Torbay and Devon Safeguarding Adults Partnership - Self neglect

Self-Neglect screening Tool

Toggle all

For referrals to Adult Social Care

Contact Single Point of Contact (SPOC): 01803 219700 or email safeguarding alerts

Devon and Cornwall SARC

Torbay Adults Self Neglect Tool is here

Domestic Abuse: See guideline

Modern Day Slavery and Trafficking

Modern Day Slavery is regarded as a national threat by the Home Office due to the threat this is poses to society, the Modern Slavery Act came into force in August 2015. Worldwide there are 35.8 million victims of slavery therefore there are more slaves today that there were in William Wilberforce's time. Women make up 71% of the world's slaves and we have an estimated 13,000 slaves in Britain (in 2013), this means that around 9,000 are women. 3,000 people are trafficked around the world in a single day and there is a new victim every 30 seconds. Devon will not be immune.

The key components of Modern Day Slavery are:

  • Child Sexual Abuse (up to the age of 18 years)
  • Adult Sexual Exploitation
  • Forced Labour
  • Domestic Servitude

If you are concerned that an individual is at risk of trafficking and/or modern day slavery, contact Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111. If you have immediate concerns ring the police on 999.

Also refer to SPOC: 01803 219700 or email safeguarding alerts

Adult Safeguarding Toolkit

Adult Safeguarding - Rules and Competencies for Healthcare staff

PREVENT

Prevent is part of the UK's counter terrorism strategy, aimed at reducing the risk of people (including patients and /or staff) becoming involved and know who to discuss our concerns with. The strategy has four key elements:

  • Pursue – to stop terrorist attacks
  • Prevent – to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism
  • Protect – to strengthen our protection against terrorist attack
  • Prepare – where a terrorist attack cannot be stopped, to lessen the impact

Refer to Devon and Cornwall Police on 101 or 999 if an emergency

Email: Prevent@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk

Prevent - Devon & Cornwall Police - advice and Information

Mental Capacity Information

If following a referral to Adults Social Care, the referring professional is not happy with the outcome; the Local Safeguarding Adult Board Escalation Policy must be used to highlight the concerns to a higher level of management. If the referring professionals feel that following the outcome decision of the referral is not enabling the adult to remain safe it is the responsibility of that professional to escalate this further directly with the Local Authority Safeguarding Manager.

NHS Safeguarding App – available to download for free from any app store – search 'NHS Safeguarding Guide'. The guide contains information on professional responsibilities, definitions of abuse and information as to how to raise concerns in Devon, Plymouth and Torbay.

Training for GPs for safeguarding can be found on the safeguarding board's website.

Torbay Safeguarding Adults Board

Safeguarding Adults at Risk of Harm Toolkit

Supporting National Documents

The Care Act

Care and support statutory guidance: changes in March 2016

Prevent

Modern Day Slavery Act

Pathway Group

This guideline has been signed off by NHS Devon.

Publication date: July 2017

Updated: May 2023