Gateshead Safeguarding Adults Annual Report 2023/24

Welcome to the Gateshead Safeguarding Adult Board Annual Report. Within the report you will find information on the Boards strategic vision and priorities and an overview of the key outcomes from 2023/ 24.

The report outlines the board priorities/ambitions for the previous year, what we have done to achieve these in part through our subgroup work. The report outlines the Safeguarding Adults Board governance structure and the 3 statutory partner governance structures as they relate to safeguarding adults, internal governance structures for each statutory partner and an update on what they have achieved during the year.

The board has three core duties:

• to publish a strategic plan for each financial year
• to publish an annual report detailing what the board has done during the year
• conduct any Safeguarding Adult Reviews (SARs)

The Gateshead Safeguarding Adults board works to protect an adult's right to live safe, free from abuse and neglect. Ensuring people and organisations work together to prevent and stop both the risks and experience of abuse or neglect. At the same time, we need to make sure that the adult's wellbeing is promoted. This includes, where appropriate, having regard to their views, wishes, feelings and beliefs in deciding on any action, making safeguarding personal.

The aims of adult safeguarding are to:

• prevent harm and reduce the risk of abuse or neglect to adults with care and support needs
• stop abuse or neglect wherever possible
• safeguard adults in a way that supports them in making choices and having control about how they want to live
• promote an approach that concentrates on improving life for the adults concerned
• raise public awareness so that communities, alongside professionals, play their part in preventing, identifying and responding to abuse and neglect
• provide information and support in accessible ways to help people understand the different types of abuse, how to stay safe and how to raise a concern about the safety or wellbeing of an adult
• address what has caused the abuse or neglect