Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Adult Social Care

Forward Plan Ref: 2021/187

Contact: Steven Turner, OSAB Business Manager Tel: 07917 534230

Report by Corporate Director – Adult and Housing Services (CA10).

The OSAB report provides an overview of the work of the Safeguarding Board and its partners during 2020-21. It is a statutory requirement that an annual report is produced and shared with partners. Some partners, such as the Local Authority, have specific expectations placed upon them within the Care Act guidance about how they will respond to the report.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to note the content of the report, particularly the findings of the Vulnerable Adults Mortality group (page 15), the merging findings from the Homeless Mortality Review group (page 16) and the overall summary of progress during the year including the outstanding work (page 24).

Recommendations agreed

Cabinet was asked to note the report providing an overview of the work of the Safeguarding Board and its partners during 2020-21.

Councillor Jenny Hannaby, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, introduced Jayne Chidgey-Clark, Independent Chair, OSAB; Alison Chapman, Designated Nurse and Safeguarding Lead, Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group and Karen Fuller, Deputy Director Adult Social Care.

Alison Chapman and Karen Fuller highlighted elements of the report:

·         The Board was actually able to enhance its work during the pandemic utilising virtual media and has been able to respond to every need as it has arisen.  This despite the government having suggested that the Board could step down services during the pandemic.

·         Making Safeguarding Personal has been a success.  92.5% of respondents reported that risk to them had been reduced.

·         Before the pandemic the Board was already focussed on early mortality among those with Learning Disabilities.  Lessons were learned through studying each individual case.  Oxfordshire has been one of the few areas that has not seen in increase in the number of deaths of people with Learning Disabilities during the pandemic.

·         A Homeless Mortality Review Group has been set up to review deaths and advise the partnership groups and the Countywide Homelessness Steering Group of their findings.

·         Processes have been put in place to have shared risk assessments for those with complex needs.  Anybody in the partnership can refer a case into this system.

Jayne Chidgey-Clark added that it was a privilege to be appointed Independent Chair in November this year.  The report pre-dated her but she reiterated that the priorities would continue to be people with Learning Disabilities, Autism, Homelessness and the complexity agenda.

Councillor Hannaby welcomed Jayne Chidgey-Clark and thanked officers for the report and for all the work of the wonderful team in safeguarding.

Councillor Pete Sudbury described the report as inspiring.  He particularly welcomed the introduction of joint risk assessments.  Throughout his professional career he had seen many reports say that the crisis could have been avoided if information had been shared.

The Chair asked the Independent Chair OSAB to take back the thanks of the Board to all staff who have worked so well in very difficult circumstances.

RESOLVED: to note the content of the report, particularly the findings of the Vulnerable adults Mortality group (page 15), the merging findings from the Homeless Mortality Review group (page 16) and the overall summary of progress during the year including the outstanding work (page 24).