Kingston Safeguarding Adults Board
Safeguarding Adult Reviews
SABs must arrange a SAR (Safeguarding Adult Review) 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 also 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, or has suffered permanent harm or has reduced capacity or quality of life (whether because of physical or psychological effects) as a result of the abuse or neglect. SABs are free to arrange for a SAR in any other situation 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 practices where this is likely to identify lessons that can be applied to future cases.
Purpose
Safeguarding Adult Reviews are not inquiries into how someone died or suffered injury, or to find out who is responsible. They:
- look at any lessons we can learn from the case about the way professionals and agencies worked together
- review the effectiveness of our safeguarding adults procedures
- inform and improve practice
- identify what can be done better to avoid a similar circumstance from reoccurring
The Safeguarding Adult Board aims to share learning from Safeguarding Adult Reviews widely: with local organisations and through the London and National Safeguarding Network across London and nationally.
When are they held?
Section 44 of The Care Act 2014 requires Safeguarding Adults Boards to undertake a Safeguarding Adult Review when specific criteria are met. This is when abuse results in the death or significant and possibly life-changing harm of an adult with care and support needs.
Read Government information about the Care Act 2014 and SARs.
Make a Referral
Anyone may make a referral. It is recommended that you refer to the SAR criteria contained in the Updated SAB Kingston SAR Policy
Send your completed SAR Referral Form by email or by post to Corporate Head of Safeguarding, Adult Social Care, 2nd Floor, Guildhall 2, High Street, Kingston, KT1 1EU
The SAR Sub Group will make a decision relating to any SAR referral, and will inform the referrer of the decision made.
SAR Reports
7 Minute Briefings
The KSAB have introduced ‘Seven Minute Briefings’ (7MB) to allow managers to deliver a short briefing to staff on key topics – they can also be used to support reflective discussion with practitioners.
7 minute briefings are based on a technique borrowed from the FBI! Research suggests that seven minutes is an ideal time span to concentrate and learning is more memorable as it is simple and not clouded by other issues and pressures. Their brief duration should also mean that they hold people’s attention, as well as giving managers something to share with their staff. Clearly such short briefings will not have all the answers, but it is hoped that they will act as a catalyst to help teams and their managers to reflect on their practice and systems. The expectation is that team leaders will present briefings to their staff, on a regular basis – seven minutes is manageable in most services so why not discuss one in your next team meeting.
Our briefings will be issued on a regular basis, providing a mixture of new information or a reminder of basic information with challenge for teams to think about the application to practice within their teams. Partners and subgroups are encouraged to draft a briefing and submit it for publication.
The briefings can be downloaded below from the library list which is being updated with new briefings regularly, and also publish a 7 minute briefing as part of each Safeguarding Adult Review.
We encourage all agencies to record or evidence how they have used our 7 Minute Briefings (7MB) on the action plan.