Policies, Procedures & Guidance

Worcestershire Safeguarding Adults Board Guidance

The following guidance has been developed locally. They include local policies, procedure’s and pathways, alongside agreed protocols on how partner organisations should work together.

Most of the current local policies have been developed to cover the county of Worcestershire. However with the introduction of the Integrated Care Board (ICB) and System (ICS) the footprint of the ICB and the Health and Care Trust expanded across both Herefordshire and Worcestershire. West Mercia Police’s reach also covers these two counties, alongside Shropshire. Both the WSAB and Herefordshire Safeguarding Adults Board (HSAB) have adopted a joint policy framework which sets out the approach for developing shared policies, where feasible.

WSAB HSAB Policy Development, Review and Approval Procedure June 2022

General Guidance

Mental Capacity Act and Best Interest Guidance

Safeguarding Adults Reviews Guidance

Self-Neglect Guidance

Reference to National Guidance

In a number of practice areas the WSAB has not produced local multi-agency guidance but have agreed to refer to national guidance. These include

Serious Incident Guidance (NHS England)

The Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF) sets out the NHS’s approach to developing and maintaining effective systems and processes for responding to patient safety incidents for the purpose of learning and improving patient safety. A copy of this can be found by following the link below:

The Patient Safety Incident Response Framework document and supporting guidance

The PSIRF supports the development and maintenance of an effective patient safety incident response system that integrates four key aims:

Compassionate engagement and involvement of those affected by patient safety incidents
Application of a range of system-based approached to learning from patient safety incidents
Considered and proportionate responses to patient safety incidents
Supportive oversight focused on strengthening response system functioning and improvement

The PSIRF is a contractual requirement under the NHS Standard Contract and as such is mandatory for services provided under that contract, including acute, ambulance, mental health, and community healthcare providers. This includes maternity and all specialised services. Primary care providers may also wish to adopt PSIRF, but it is not a requirement at this stage

Pressure Ulcers

A Pressure Ulcer is an area of damage to the skin and underlying tissue. They are sometimes known as pressure sores or bed sores. They can form because of poor care and neglect and therefore may indicate a safeguarding concern. To assist in deciding whether an ulcer should be considered a safeguarding concern, the Office for Health Improvement & Disparities have published the following guidance aimed at healthcare professionals.

Pressure ulcers: applying All Our Health – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

In terms of prevention the following documents have been produced by the NHS East London Foundation Trust.

Pressure Ulcer Prevention Booklet (NHS East London Trust)

Pressure Ulcer Prevention Flyer

Fire Safety

The WSAB works closely with Herefordshire and Worcestershire Fire Service who recommend we provide the most up to date guidance on fire safety which can be found by following the links below:

Details of these can be found on the following WSAB pages:

Complex Adults Risk Management (CARM) framework

This guidance seeks to provide front line practitioners with a framework to facilitate effective working with adults who are at risk of significant harm due to their complex needs, and where the risks cannot effectively be managed via other processes or interventions, such as section 9 care and support assessment or section 42, safeguarding enquiry under the Care Act 2014.

The Complex Adults Risk Management (CARM) framework should be used when the adult’s engagement with support is intermittent or where it has proved difficult to engage with the adult, and the risk is significant, and an individual agency procedures have not been able to resolve the problem(s).

For more information on the CARM and details of how to make a referral please follow the links below:

CARM Framework

CARM Referral Form

CARM Safety Plan

WSAB Privacy Statement

The WSAB Privacy Notice explains how the Worcestershire Safeguarding Adults Board (WSAB) collects, uses and shares personal information in order to carry out its statutory duties and responsibilities. It can be found by following this link:

Worcestershire Safeguarding Adults Board Privacy Notice | Worcestershire County Council

Competency Frameworks and Assurance Checklists

Multi-agency Policy and Procedures for the West Midlands

Worcestershire Safeguarding Adults Board has adopted the ‘Adult Safeguarding: Multi-agency policy and procedures for the protection of adults with care & support needs in the West Midlands’. All staff, in whatever setting, have a key role in preventing harm or abuse occurring and in taking action where concerns arise. The policy and procedures set simply and clearly how agencies and individuals should work together to protect adults at risk. Agencies are also required to have local guidance in place explaining to staff how the procedures will be implemented within their employing organisation.

West Midlands Adult Safeguarding Policy and Procedures

West Midlands Adult Position of Trust Framework

In January 2022 the Chief Social Worker published the following national guidance which sets out the principles for safeguarding adults.