Gateshead Safeguarding Adults Annual Report 2023/24

Quality, Learning and Practice Group (chaired by a senior manager from Gateshead Council)

The Quality, Learning and Practice Group is responsible for:

• monitoring and reviewing performance data and driving forward quality via the quality assurance framework, case file audits and monitoring inspection recommendations
• Collating and reviewing recommendations from statutory Safeguarding Adult Reviews and discretionary reviews and has oversight of multi-agency safeguarding training
• ensuring that the Multi Agency Safeguarding Adults policy and procedures and supporting practice guidance continue to be fit for purpose
• keeping up to date with national policy changes that may impact upon the work of the Safeguarding Adults Board
• the development and implementation of the Communication and Engagement strategy

Safeguarding Adult Review and Complex Case (SARCC) group (chaired by a senior manager from Northeast and North Cumbria ICB)

The Safeguarding Adults Review Group (SARCC) will:

• consider Safeguarding Adult Review (SAR) referrals, commission reviews and subsequently monitor their progress
• oversee discretionary reviews into cases that do not meet the criteria for a SAR, where the group feel that there are multi-agency lessons to be learned
• collate and review recommendations from SARs and other reviews, ensuring that achievable action plans are developed and that actions are delivered
• provide a forum to discuss complex Safeguarding Adult cases that require additional scrutiny and support

Joint Strategic Exploitation Group (chaired by a senior officer from Northumbria Police)

The Joint Strategic Exploitation Group is a sub-group of both the Safeguarding Adults Board and the GSCP.

The Police chair undertakes this role across the Northumbria Police Force footprint (6 LA areas) which promotes sharing of learning and best practice and connectivity across the region in identifying emerging trends or concerns.

The remit of the group is to lead on the development of strategic work in relation to all aspects of exploitation, including but not limited to: Sexual Exploitation; Criminal Exploitation; Modern Slavery and Trafficking and Missing.

Task and Finish Groups

The Board and the three sub-groups regularly commission time limited task and finish groups to undertake specific pieces of project work.

Subgroups Highlight Reports

In 2023 the board requested all subgroups to prepare and present a report at each board meeting. The report covers 4 main areas:

• what is working well?
• what is not working well?
• what difference are we making?
• potential risks

This allows each subgroup to raise the profile of its work and share good practice and outcomes, whilst also highlighting any potential risks to the board so that remedial action can be taken, by the board or by its partners.