Previous
Next

Part 3C: Responding to concerns about adult abuse

‘Making safeguarding personal’

Making Safeguarding Personal is an approach to adult safeguarding than ensures the focus is on meaningful improvement to an adult’s life. It sits within the Department of Health’s Care and Support Statutory Guidance. It means safeguarding adults:

  • is person-led
  • is outcome-focused
  • engages the person and enhances involvement, choice and control
  • improves quality of life, wellbeing and safety.

Safeguarding should be done with patients, not to them. However, patients are likely to be unfamiliar with safeguarding processes. Therefore, you will need to explain what the process is, who will be given information and what information that will be. When an adult safeguarding process starts, there may be several new professionals who want to speak to the patient. This can be very daunting and frightening for patients so informing them of who the professionals may be can be very helpful.

There are six core adult safeguarding principles outlined in The Care Act (England) and the table below outlines what these are and what how they should be experienced by the adults they affect – the ‘I’ statements:

Empowerment: People being supported and encouraged to make their own decisions and informed consent. ‘I am asked what I want as the outcomes from the safeguarding process and these directly inform what happens.’
Prevention: It is better to take action before harm occurs. ‘I receive clear and simple information about what abuse is, how to recognise the signs and what I can do to seek help.’
Proportionality: The least intrusive response appropriate to the risk presented. ‘I am sure that the professionals will work in my interest, as I see them and they will only get involved as much as needed.’
Protection: Support and representation for those in greatest need. ‘I get help and support to report abuse and neglect. I get help so that I am able to take part in the safeguarding process to the extent to which I want.’
Partnership: Local solutions through services working with their communities. Communities have a part to play in preventing, detecting and reporting neglect and abuse. ‘I know that staff treat any personal and sensitive information in confidence, only sharing what is helpful and necessary. I am confident that professionals will work together and with me to get the best result for me.’
Accountability: Accountability and transparency in delivering safeguarding. ‘I understand the role of everyone involved in my life and so do they.’
Previous
Next