Agenda item

The Committee considered the latest Teeswide Safeguarding Adults Board (TSAB) Annual Report which covered the 2024-2025 period.  Presented by the TSAB Independent Chair (who began by reminding Members that the Board covered four Local Authority areas), content was highlighted as follows:

·       Key Achievements 2024-2025: A wide range of work had been undertaken and completed during the year, including multi-agency audits on transitions, a review of self-neglect policy and guidance, the publication of three Safeguarding Adult Reviews (SARs) (including presentations delivered to two GP Engagement Sessions to share learning from these), the launch of re-developed professional curiosity and professional challenge briefings, Board approval of the Adult Exploitation Strategy, and the convening of a multi-agency rough sleeping meeting (after the Government mandated Safeguarding Adults Boards to take responsibility for this issue last year).

·       Safeguarding Data 2024-2025: 9,056 concerns had been raised across the TSAB footprint during 2024-2025 (an increase of 7% compared to 2023-2024), with 2,985 Section 42 Enquiries commencing (an increase of 3% from 2023-2024).  However, for Stockton-on-Tees, both these measures had decreased by 7% (this was not considered significant at this stage).

On average, 174 concerns were received per week across Tees.  Of these, 24% were raised from care homes (up 29% on the previous year), 10% from social care (up 38%), 8% from NHS secondary care, and 7% from both the police and care at home services.

Regarding Section 42 Enquiries, an individual’s own home (48%) remained the most common setting for risk across Tees, reflecting trends observed in previously published national data – this was followed by care homes (28%), community (7%), hospital (7%), and ‘other’ (10%).  The leading areas of risk identified were ‘Neglect and Acts of Omission’ (22%), ‘Physical Abuse’ (18%), ‘Domestic Abuse’ (15%), and ‘Financial and Material Abuse’ (15%).  While most categories of abuse saw a decline during this reporting period, instances of ‘Domestic Abuse’, ‘Financial and Material Abuse’ and ‘Self-Neglect’ (often the most catastrophic risk type which could lead to death) increased when compared with the 2023-2024 data.  There had been a 22% increase in the number of Section 42 Enquiries relating to people aged under 65.

In terms of the Board’s performance indicators, three of the four had been achieved, but PI 2 (percentage of those who were asked their desired outcome in 2024-2025) was not.  The Board was disappointed that this measure had fallen short (92%) of the target (greater than 95%) and had initiated work to ensure all involved Local Authorities improved upon this important element.  It was possible that some data issues existed which did not give a true reflection of the actual numbers being asked their desired outcome.

·       Communication and Engagement: The 2024-2025 year had seen 158,849 visits to the TSAB website (an 8.8% increase on 2023-2024), with a further increase in the number of people following the Board’s Facebook content.  Other activity had included a radio interview and advert, local magazine impressions, the delivery of TSAB newsletters, and 10 events held in line with key campaigns (attracting a combined attendance of 687 professionals).

·       Training: 7,582 children and adult services learners had engaged in training during 2024-2025 from across 631 organisations.  23,245 e-learning course registrations were received (with a completion rate of 82%), and 1,427 learners had completed Safeguarding Adults Level 1.  Other training involved the delivery of 21 webinar sessions, four of which were trauma-informed (with 116 professionals accessing these).

·       Safeguarding Adults Reviews (SARs): In 2024-2025, three SARs were published – JJ, Jack, and Susan (further details of which were included within the Annual Report).  During the reporting period, eight SAR notifications were considered, with two progressing to a mandatory SAR, two progressing to a discretionary SAR, and four deemed to require ‘no further action’ (though three of these proceeded as a single-agency review, with learning to be presented back to the SAR sub-group in 2025-2026).

·       Our Priorities 2025-2026: 2025-2026 would see the implementation of a new three-year TSAB Strategic Business Plan (included within the papers for this meeting) featuring new priorities, aims and objectives.  Three key priorities had been identified – ‘Information, Engagement and Involvement’, ‘Confident, Competent Practice’, and ‘Emerging Challenge and Enabling Solutions’.

The Committee thanked the TSAB Independent Chair for presenting the very detailed report and expressed encouragement around the stated training data.  Members then sought clarity over the suggestion of potential data collection issues.  Challenges in identifying the most prominent type of abuse for an individual case (often this could involve multiple elements) were noted, as was the continuous pursuit of ensuring better data so the Board and its partners had a more accurate sight of the existing safeguarding arena.

AGREED that the Teeswide Safeguarding Adults Board (TSAB) – Annual Report 2024-2025 be noted.