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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;
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.
Torbay and Devon Safeguarding Adults Partnership - Self neglect
Contact Single Point of Contact (SPOC): 01803 219700 or email safeguarding alerts
Email: adultsc.safeguardingadultservices-mailbox@devon.gov.uk
Torbay Adults Self Neglect Tool is here
Domestic Abuse: See guideline
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:
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 - Rules and Competencies for Healthcare staff
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:
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
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
Care and support statutory guidance: changes in March 2016
This guideline has been signed off by NHS Devon.
Publication date: July 2017
Updated: November 2024