In accordance with the Care Act 2014, Safeguarding Adults Boards have a statutory responsibility for considering and commissioning Safeguarding Adult Reviews (SARs).
What is a Safeguarding Adults Review?
Care and Support Statutory Guidance (updated on 26 October 2018) states:
- SABs must arrange a SAR when an adult in its area dies as a result of abuse or neglect, whether known or suspected, and there is concern that partner agencies could have worked more effectively to protect the adult.
- SABs must arrange a SAR if an adult in its area has not died but the SAB knows or suspects that the adult has experienced serious abuse or neglect. In the context of SARs, something can be considered serious abuse or neglect where, for example the individual would have been likely to have died but for an intervention, has suffered permanent harm or has reduced capacity or quality of life as a result of the abuse or neglect. SABs are free to arrange for a SAR in any other situations involving an adult in its area with needs for care and support.
- The SAB should be primarily concerned with weighing up what type of 'review' process will promote effective learning and improvement action to prevent future deaths or serious harm occurring again. This may be where a case can provide useful insights into the way organisations are working together to prevent and reduce abuse and neglect of adults. SARs may also be used to explore examples of good practice where this is likely to identify lessons that can be applied to future cases.
A Safeguarding Adults Review is a multi-agency process that considers whether or not serious harm experienced by an adult, or a group of adults at risk of abuse or neglect could have been prevented. It uses partners in Northamptonshire to improve its service and prevent abuse and neglect in the future.
A safeguarding review is not an investigation and will not place blame but supports agencies to understand the following:
- What lessons can be learnt from how professionals and their agencies work together
- The effectiveness of safeguarding procedures
- The application of SAB and individual agency safeguarding procedures
- How to improve local inter-agency practice
- Sharing identified good practice
- Service improvements or development needs for agencies, whether individually or multi-agency.
Referring a case for consideration
If a professional in Northamptonshire believes a case requires consideration by the Safeguarding Adults Review Sub Group, they should complete the referral form below and submit it to the NSAB Business Office.
The criteria for a Safeguarding Adults Review are outlined in points 1. and 2. above.
Case review documents
Case Review Learning Briefings
Multi-Agency Case Audits (MACA)