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Safeguarding Statement

It is Dudley Integrated Health and Care NHS Trust’s statutory responsibility to ensure that the services that it provides and commissions provide a safe system that safeguards vulnerable children, young people and adults. The Dudley Integrated Health and Care NHS Trust's   pdf Safeguarding Children, Young People and Adults Safeguarding Strategy (297 KB) sets out the strategic aims and priorities in relation to safeguarding children, young people and adults at risk of abuse or neglect which reflects the overall vision, strategy and objectives of DIHC.

The Government reforms of the NHS put patients and the quality of their care at the heart of the NHS. The Government’s commitment to patient choice, control and accountability includes support and protection for those in the most vulnerable situations.

Dudley Integrated Health and Care NHS Trust is responsible for fulfilling safeguarding responsibilities for people who come into contact with its services either directly or indirectly. It does this by having arrangements in place to ensure that Vulnerable Children and Adults with Care and Support needs are safeguarded from harm.

Dudley Integrated Health and Care has statutory duties under the Children Act 2004 & Care Act 2014 and is to be a member of the new partnership arrangements Dudley Safeguarding People Partnership Board (DSPPB) working in partnership with the local authority and other partners to fulfil their safeguarding responsibilities.

The organisation is represented on DSPPB sub groups, Domestic Abuse Forums and all of their respective sub groups to ensure comprehensive partnership working.

Safeguarding Vulnerable Children

Safeguarding children is the term used to cover all aspects of promoting a child’s welfare, including all the things listed in the definition above, such as protecting a child from maltreatment, aiding their development, keeping them safe and ensuring they have the best outcome in life

According to Working Together 2018, safeguarding children is defined as:

  • Protecting children from maltreatment: Protecting children from harm, abuse and neglect.
  • Preventing impairment of children’s health or development: Ensuring children have access to the care and support they need.
  • Ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care: Enabling safe and effective parenting.
  • Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes: Giving children equal opportunities in life.

Child Protection

Child protection is the single aspect of safeguarding children that is focussed on protecting a child who is suffering from, or has the potential to suffer from, significant harm. Significant harm can include maltreatment, abuse and neglect, pre-meditated abuse, a single traumatic event or an accumulation of events that damage the child’s physical and/or psychological development.

Safeguarding Adults with Care and Support Needs

Safeguarding adults is about the safety and well-being of all patients but providing additional measures for those least able to protect themselves from harm or abuse.

Safeguarding adults is a fundamental part of patient safety and wellbeing and the outcomes expected of the NHS. Safeguarding adults is also integral to complying with legislation, regulations and delivering cost effective care.

Adults with care and support needs are age 18 and over and may:

  • have a learning disability
  • have a mental health need or dementia or a personality disorder
  • have a long or short term illness
  • have an addiction to a substance or alcohol; or
  • be elderly and frail due to ill health, disability or ill mental health

Recruiting and maintaining a safe workforce

Under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 and the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 the organisation is responsible for ensuring that it complies with the requirements of the Home Office Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) in order to ensure that appropriate level of pre-employment checks are carried out during the recruitment process particularly those engaging in Regulated Activity.

The organisation also ensures appropriate referrals are made to DBS if required regarding current or previous employees.

Training

Safeguarding Children and Adults Training is mandatory in line with the Intercollegiate Guidance for all staff who work within the organisation. All new staff receive a safeguarding briefing on the organisation’s mandatory induction programme. The on-going mandatory development of staff related to safeguarding training levels is in place. The level of training undertaken is commensurate on the nature of the staff member’s role within the organisation.

Safeguarding Service

Dudley Integrated Health and Care NHS Trust is currently meeting its Safeguarding staffing and response requirements via a Service Level Agreement with the Dudley Mental Health component of the Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust which enables DIHC to have full access to The Head of Safeguarding for Adults and Children, Vulnerable Adult and Child Specialist Practitioners, Named Nurse for Children, Named Dr for Children and Named Dr for Adults which ensures that all staff within the organisation receive the required advice, support, supervision and training and have access to the policies and procedures incorporating national guidance in order to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and adults with care and support needs.

Safeguarding incidents and concerns are reported via the Ulysses Incident reporting system and are reviewed by clinicians from the Safeguarding Team. A report of these incidents will be shared through the agreed Governance Process to the Board for scrutiny and analysis.

Useful Links

DUDLEY SAFEGUARDING PEOPLES PARTNERSHIP BOARD

WEST MIDLANDS SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN PROCEDURES 

WORKING TOGETHER TO SAFEGUARD CHILDREN  

Safeguarding Children and Young People: Roles and Competencies for Healthcare Staff 2018 

The Children Act 1989 

The Children Act 2004

Dudley Threshold Framework Document 2019 https://safeguarding.dudley.gov.uk/safeguarding/child/work-with-children-young-people/multi-agency-safeguarding-hub/

What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused: Advice for practitioners 2015 

How to make a referral and link to the Dudley Multi Agency Referral Form (MARF) https://safeguarding.dudley.gov.uk/tell-us/

CCG Safeguarding page https://www.dudleyccg.nhs.uk/ccg-functions/safeguarding/

SAFE AND SOUND (DUDLEY COMMUNITY SAFETY PARTNERSHIP)

Dudley Safe and Sound, is a partnership made up of public sector and voluntary organisations in the Dudley borough. By actively working together it aims to address community concerns around crime, disorder, Anti-Social Behaviour and substance misuse.

Community Safety | Dudleysafeandsound

Adults and Children

CHILDREN

ADULTS