Reporting abuse: Referral to the HSC Safeguarding Unit

If you think that an adult with care and support needs is experiencing, or at risk of, abuse or neglect, please inform your manager or your safeguarding lead professional.

You (or your manager/ lead professional) must escalate your safeguarding concerns by contacting the HSC Adult Safeguarding Manager, Michelle Thacker, telephone 01481 256923 HSC Safeguarding Unit, Perruque House, Castel, as soon as possible within office hours 08:45 to 17:00 hrs Monday to Friday. 

Please ensure that you also raise a safeguarding 'alert' immediately. A link to the safeguarding adults alert form, 'raising a concern' can be found below. 

If you suspect that someone is being abused and they are in immediate danger you should contact the police without delay.

What happens after you report abuse?

We will always take it seriously when someone tells us about abuse, or a situation which they think could lead to abuse. Everyone is different and will need different support or advice depending on their situation.

We will always make sure that the adult at risk of abuse receives the help and support they need to take action on their own behalf, to make choices and to retain control over their life.

The HSC Adult Safeguarding Manager will make enquiries or ask colleagues or other partner organisations to make enquiries, whenever we think an adult with care and support needs may be at risk of abuse or neglect.

Where a multi-agency response to a concern is deemed necessary, the concern will be confidentially discussed with partner agencies at the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) for adults.

How to respond if you receive an allegation:

• Reassure the person concerned
• Listen to what they are saying
• Record what you have been told/witnessed as soon as possible
• Remain calm and do not show shock or disbelief
• Tell them that the information will be treated seriously
• Don’t start to investigate or ask detailed or probing questions
• Don’t promise to keep it a secret

If you witness abuse or abuse has just taken place, the priorities will be:

• To call an ambulance if required
• To call the police if a crime has been committed
• To preserve evidence
• To keep yourself, staff, volunteers and patients/ service users safe
• To inform your manager (unless they are implicated in the alleged abuse) or the designated safeguarding lead in your service area as soon as you can
• To contact the HSC adult safeguarding manager to escalate your concern and forward a completed 'alert' form (below).
• To record what happened and store this information as per your organisation’s policy for recording and storing sensitive adult safeguarding information

REMEMBER- Safeguarding Adults at Risk is EVERYONE’S RESPONSIBILITY