Westminster Safeguarding Adults Board - Westminster City Council

Westminster Safeguarding Adults Board 

Annual Report 2008

Westminster City Council › Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report 2008 Westminster City Council › Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report 2008 

Contents 

National context: No secrets 2 

Beyond no secrets 3 

Letter from the Chair of the Board 4 

This year’s achievements 5 

Westminster Safeguarding Adults board 

Board sub group: Mental Capacity Act Local Implementation Group 

Board sub group: Safeguarding Adults Policy and Procedures 

Review group 

Consistent application of the multi-agency policy 

Training and development 

Working with partner agencies 

Metropolitan Police 

Central and North West London Foundation Trust 

Westminster Primary Care Trust 

Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust 

Supported Housing, the Voluntary and Independent Sector 

Abuse prevention 

Links to strategic partnerships: Crime and disorder 

Service users as key partners 

Reporting and monitoring activity 

Lessons learned: Assuring quality 

Safeguarding developments 

Last word 

Appendices 

1. Organisations attending training courses 

2. Westminster Safeguarding Adults action plan 2008/09 

3. Safeguarding vulnerable adults in Westminster 

End-of-year Monitoring Report 2007-08 

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Glossary 

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National Context: No Secrets 

‘No Secrets: Guidance on developing and implementing multi-agency policies and 

procedures to protect vulnerable adults from abuse’ was published in 2000 by the Department 

of Health. It responded to the findings of an investigation into systematic sexual, physical, and 

emotional abuse, and neglect of people with learning disabilities, over a period of ten years, at 

Longcare in Buckinghamshire. 

No Secrets was the first coherent national policy statement to establish a single system, with 

clear lines of responsibility and accountability, to tackle the abuse of people made vulnerable 

by age, disability or poor physical or mental health. It is rooted in the Human Rights Act 1998 

and upholds the right of all individuals, regardless of their circumstances, to live their lives free 

from violence and abuse. 

No Secrets is based on the premise that some groups of adults experience a higher 

prevalence of abuse and neglect than the general population, and that they are also not easily 

able to access services to enable them to live safer lives. 

No Secrets identifies five types of abuse. They are physical, sexual, emotional or 

psychological, financial and neglect. Institutional and discriminatory abuse have since been 

identified as additional types of abuse. 

No Secrets identifies adult social services departments as the lead agencies in the 

investigation of abuse. It also places responsibility on all agencies working with adults 

who may be deemed to be vulnerable to have clear policies, procedures and systems for 

responding to allegations of abuse. 

It places an obligation and responsibility on all health and social care agencies, and the 

police, to co-operate with and participate in joint systems, including multi-agency forums, to 

protect vulnerable adults from abuse. 

In Westminster, these responsibilities are taken very seriously and the work required to 

prevent and protect or safeguard vulnerable adults from abuse is led by the multi-agency 

Safeguarding Adults Board. This report outlines what the Board has achieved during the past 

year and its plans for the year ahead. 

Beyond No Secrets 

Since the publication of No Secrets, which is currently under review, there have been a number 

of national developments which have significance for safeguarding adults work in Westminster. 

In 2005, the Association of Directors of Social Services introduced a safeguarding adults 

best practice guide. The guide contains standards for the systems designed to protect adults 

made vulnerable by age, illness, disability or circumstances. It shifts the notion of vulnerability 

from the person themselves to the circumstances they find themselves in: “The concept of a 

vulnerable adult is replaced with an assessment of the risk posed by the abuse and neglect, to 

the quality of life of the individual adult concerned”. The Board has adopted the terminology of 

‘safeguarding adults’ to replace ‘adult protection’ as this embraces a more robust approach to 

preventing as well as responding to abuse. It also uses the framework to guide and inform its 

key objectives and annual work plan. 

Last year, a national survey was conducted by Action on Elder Abuse and funded by Comic 

Relief into the prevalence of abuse and neglect of older people. The report, published in June 

2007, confirmed that one in 40 older people are experiencing mistreatment that occurred 

within a relationship of trust; family members, close friends and care workers. This statistic 

suggests that over 300 older people aged 65 to 74 experience abuse in Westminster. At 

present, less than a third of these people are coming forward to seek help so raising public 

awareness of safeguarding adults is a key priority for the coming year. 

Staff in all agencies have been trained to work within the requirements of the Mental Capacity 

Act 2005, which came into force from April 2007. The Act enshrines five principles for decisionmaking, 

sets up independent mental capacity advocates, and strengthens the protection 

offered by the courts to people whose ability to make key decisions that impact on their wellbeing 

is impaired. In the year ahead, work will be carried out to assess the needs of people 

who may be deprived of liberty under the Act. 

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, which will be enacted next year, introduces a 

vetting and barring scheme which will screen all staff working in health and social care, in the 

statutory and voluntary sector, for their suitability to work with children and vulnerable adults. It 

replaces the Protection of Vulnerable Adults (POVA) list. 

The Domestic Violence Crime and Victims Act 2004 increased the protection, support and 

rights of victims and witnesses of domestic violence, including vulnerable adults who may be 

being abused by a family member. In Westminster, this work will be co-ordinated by the Multiagency 

Risk Assessment Conference operational from September 2008.


Letter from the Chair of the Board 

The Westminster Safeguarding Adults Board is a multi-agency partnership responsible for 

leading and overseeing all strategic and operational inter-agency safeguarding adults work in 

Westminster, as required by No Secrets. 

The Board is made up of representatives from all key statutory agencies, and from the 

independent and voluntary sector. Members of the Safeguarding Adults Board are sufficiently 

senior to represent their organisation and to make multi-agency agreements on behalf of their 

organisation. 

This year, facing the challenge of delivering independence, well-being and choice, the Board 

has been determined to work together to strengthen the safeguarding adults systems within 

the City. We have been developing a network of safeguarding “champions” in all the statutory 

agencies and our third sector partner organisations. We are working with service users and 

carers as experts and care partners to raise awareness of abuse and promote dignity and 

respect in local services. 

In general, Westminster residents are well served and protected from abuse and harm by the 

responsiveness and diligence of front-line staff and managers in all services. But we are not 

complacent and are committed to continuously improving our performance in this key area, 

and in raising public awareness of adult abuse to the same level of that of protecting children. 

To this end, the Board commissioned an evaluation in year of its Safeguarding activity, using 

case samples and interviews with key stakeholders. This has given us a position statement 

with regard to the effectiveness of its current systems and recommendations for improvement. 

A key recommendation has already been met. Westminster City Council and Primary Care 

Trust have jointly funded a full-time safeguarding adults lead post. The post-holder is working 

with frontline staff in all agencies to develop their practice in the context of transformation of 

Adult Social Care, helping staff to meet the challenge of balancing risk and safeguarding with 

increased user choice, independence and self-directed care. 

The safeguarding adults lead is developing an audit tool to help track cases more 

systematically. This will capture outcomes for service users and any learning from practice, 

and inform the workforce development strategy and fine-tune Safeguarding procedures. 

By this time next year, we anticipate being able to strongly evidence the improvements we 

have made to the safety and well-being of Westminster’s most vulnerable residents, hopefully 

using their own testimony, as expert partners in safeguarding adults. 

Zena Deayton 

Assistant Director 

Social Care Services 

This year’s achievements 

Westminster Safeguarding Adults Board 

The Safeguarding Adults Board has worked hard this year to strengthen its membership 

so that all key partner agencies are properly represented and that each member is able to 

champion safeguarding effectively within their organisation. Members have been working to 

ensure that their work on the Board is directly linked to the governance arrangements of their 

organisation. This is in line with standards 1 and 2 of the Association of Directors of Adult 

Social Services (ADASS) National Framework of Standards for best practice in safeguarding 

adults. Board members attended an away-day in April 2008, which provided the opportunity to 

reflect on their responsibilities and track the progress of key priorities. 

The safeguarding adults work plan has been linked to the ADASS National Framework of 

Standards for the past two years. The 2007/08 plan was ambitious. Most of the tasks have 

been completed and it has served to demonstrate the need for more designated staff time to 

ensure all aspects of work are robust and safe. 

Board sub-group: Mental Capacity Act 2005 Local Implementation Group 

The Westminster Local Implementation Group with representatives from key health, social 

care and voluntary organisations was set up in November 2006 as a sub-group of the 

Safeguarding Adults Board. The work of this group has ensured that the Mental Capacity Act 

has been publicised as widely as possible throughout the City, using websites and printed 

material. The training programme has been very successful in developing staff confidence 

and competence in all partner agencies to support decision-making and undertake mental 

capacity assessments. 

The effectiveness of the training strategy is reflected in the number of appropriate referrals that 

have been made by Westminster to the Independent Mental Capacity Advocate service. 

Westminster led the tendering and contract let process for the Independent Mental Capacity 

Advocate service across seven London boroughs to ensure that a specialised service could 

be provided for a range of client needs. The contractor providing the Independent Mental 

Capacity Advocate service is performing well across all seven boroughs. 

Ongoing staff advice and guidance on specific cases continues to be provided by a Mental 

Capacity Act champions group, made up of staff representatives from adult social and health 

care teams. 

The Local Implementation Group refreshed its terms of reference in March 2008. It will coordinate 

Westminster’s multi-agency response to the introduction of Deprivation of Liberty, 

building on the networks and strategies that have been so effective with the implementation of 

the Mental Capacity Act. A time-limited senior level post will be created to develop the systems 

required to support staff in all agencies to respond consistently, effectively and within the law.


Board Sub-Group: Safeguarding Adults Policy and Procedures Review Network 

The refreshed Westminster City Council and Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea’s 

multi-agency policy and procedures, first published in 2002, will be re-launched at a 

safeguarding adults conference in October 2008. The task has been more substantial than 

envisaged because of national developments in safeguarding adults. 

Westminster is a member of the London Adult Protection Network, which is currently working 

with the Social Care Institute of Excellence and Care Services Improvement Partnership to 

develop a pan-London Safeguarding Adults Strategy. The strategy will be published in 2010. 

As with the London Safeguarding Children’s Strategy, it will remove the need for borough 

specific policy and procedures and facilitate inter-authority working. It will also simplify referral 

and response arrangements for provider agencies and Trusts including the police and the 

London Ambulance Service, who work across boroughs. 

Consistent application of the Safeguarding Adults policy and procedure 

The Safeguarding Board commissioned an evaluation to find out how well Westminster 

residents are protected from abuse by safeguarding adults systems. This report has provided 

qualitative data to supplement the prevalence data that is collected each year and reported to 

the Board at its quarterly meetings. 

The evaluation adopted a whole system approach, using a representative sample of case 

studies, interviews and meetings with key stakeholders including staff, service users, carers 

and partner agencies. 

The findings and recommendations of the report are listed below: 

1. There is commitment and willingness among practitioners and managers to undertake 

safeguarding adults work. 

2. Great importance is attached to the early alerting stage of the process and clarity of 

responsibility on the part of Safeguarding Managers. 

3. Safeguarding managers and practitioners are open, willing and keen to improve and evolve 

their own practice and to see procedures updated and made clearer and more accessible. 

4. There are examples of outstanding practice and tenaciousness which has resulted in 

positive outcomes for clients who have been protected from harm. 

5. There are also examples of excellent practice in relation to vulnerable adults who make 

unwise decisions and choices. Practitioners are not complacent about these situations, 

nor complicit in service users coming to harm, but they are able to investigate, analyse 

and support service users’ wishes and rights to self determination in an exemplary way. 

6. Multi-agency strategic ownership and oversight of safeguarding needs strengthening and 

the chair and members of the Board are working towards achieving this. 

7. The lack of dedicated operational level resources to support safeguarding work 

(systematic case tracking; monitoring of practice and practice activity data; support 

for strategy and case conferencing activity) is felt by all. The appointment of a full-time 

safeguarding adults lead will help to overcome this. 

8. There is a need to revisit and refresh thresholds, key definitions and procedures across 

the board to reflect recent shifts and to communicate key messages about expectations 

across the system. The policy review and training programme is well placed to deliver this. 

9. The consistency of case recording needs to be improved across and within teams. 

10. There appears to be a concentration of activity and effort at the initial stages and at points 

of referral with a tendency for activity, including review activity to ‘tail off’ or be overlooked 

in recording. 

11. Risk assessment and risk recording beyond alert and strategy decision stages need to 

be strengthened. 

12. There are complex issues in relation to care providers, which encompass questions 

about thresholds and definitions, such as where does concern about good care end and 

concern about abusive or negligent care begin 

13. There is a lack of clarity about how safeguarding and staff disciplinary procedures 

separate and interact, particularly in provider settings. 

The response of the board to the Evaluation has been to take the following actions: 

› appoint a full-time safeguarding adults lead 

› appoint a full-time Deprivation of Liberty project work 

› seek joint funding for a Safeguarding Adults Quality Assurance Officer to assist with case 

tracking and audit, and administering meetings and minute-taking 

› review the training and development programme and work with providers to identify the 

learning needs in relation to safeguarding adults and Dignity in Care 

› complete and publish refreshed policy and procedures in October 2008 

› design a publicity campaign to raise public awareness of safeguarding adults 

› develop a case tracking and care audit process 

› organise a safeguarding adults conference to demonstrate the commitment of key partners 

to safeguarding adults work at both strategic and operational levels of their agency 

› introduce standard forms to record key decisions including assessment of risk or 

seriousness; referral forms; minutes of strategy meetings or discussions and case 

conferences and safeguarding plans.


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Reintroduce practice forums for practitioners and Safeguarding Adults Managers 

Develop sub-groups of the board to progress the key work streams such as case review, 

training and communications 

Build Safeguarding into all aspects of Transformation of Social Care work 

Set up and publicise a designated safeguarding adults line and safe-haven fax to receive 

referrals from the public, the police, London Ambulance Service and the Commission for 

Social care inspection. This is being widely publicised 

Safeguarding adults staff training and development 

Safeguarding adults work is complex and can only be done well by skilled and resourceful 

people. We are fortunate in Westminster to be able to attract and retain high calibre staff and 

are committed to supporting and developing them to do this challenging work. 

This year, we have taken the opportunity to refresh the content of our development and training 

activities and our pool of trainers using an evidence-based assessment of training needs. 

New courses included Investigating Suspicions of Abuse and Financial and Material Abuse. 

Furthermore, the Service Manager has delivered a series of briefings to a variety of organisations. 

We have made sure that safeguarding policy and procedures underpin all of the training 

relating to vulnerable adults eg Mental Capacity Act, HIV Awareness and Challenges to Mental 

Health in Later Life. 

All Westminster social care providers were sent a questionnaire in May 2007, asking them to 

detail the percentage of staff that have received safeguarding training, by team, during the 

previous year. There was a 100% return rate and the questionnaire has been sent out again to 

gather data for 2007/08. The information is being used to analyse the providers’ training needs, 

to inform the commissioning priorities and plan with providers how best to address the gaps. 

The safeguarding adults development and training programme is available to council staff and 

partner agencies in health, housing, MPS and the voluntary sector. Some training is provided 

by a reciprocal arrangement with Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Westminster 

City Council currently funds the programme, with contributions from the Royal Borough of 

Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster Primary Care Trust. 

The core Safeguarding Adult modules are: 

› protection of vulnerable adults - stage 1 

› identifying and investigating financial and material abuse 

› legal aspects of safeguarding adults, adult protection and risk 

› developing effective investigation skills 

› adult protection enquiry co-ordinator training – co-ordinating multi-agency responses to 

allegations of abuse 

In addition to the modules outlined above, the inter-agency programme offers a wide range 

of courses such as Mental Capacity Act, Living with Dementia, Capacity and Consent and 

Valuing Diversity. All of this training is underpinned by reference to safeguarding adults multiagency 

policy and procedures. 

We will be updating our workforce plan and workforce development strategy, beginning 

with an away day for the Safeguarding Adults Board in April. The strategy will respond to 

the recommendations of the evaluation report and will be circulated to all key agencies for 

contributions and comments. 

The number of people who attended training as part of the safeguarding adults programme 

2007 – 2008 is outlined in the table below: 

Training course 

Protection of Vulnerable Adults (stage 1) 144 

Investigating Suspicions of Abuse 26 

Financial and Material Abuse 10 

Legal Aspects of Safeguarding 13 

Community Care Legislation 16 

Risk Assessment (Legal Aspects) 10 

Adult Protection Enquiry Co-ordinators (run jointly with 

Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea) 

Supported attendance at external conferences 2 

Total 234 

Complementary Development & Training 

Capacity and consent 60 

Mental Capacity Act briefings 707 

Mental Capacity Act assessments 175 

Total 942 

Team briefings and contributions to training 

Westminster 

Primary Care Trust 

(WPCT) 

Westminster City 

Council (WCC) 

Central North West 

London Foundation 

Trust (CNWL) 

Six teams and sessions in induction, refresher and 

domestic violence 

Six teams, three practice forums, providers conference, 

LDQ 

Three teams 47 

St Mary’s Three teams 35 

Independent Princess Grace Hospital Managers 8 

Total 321 

Attendees 

3 

129 

102 

 

This is a new course. The course was designed and delivered by two Adults Services Team Managers with presentations 

from the Metropolitan Police, Service, the Public Guardian’s Office and the Department for Work and Pensions. 

For a list of organisations who attended the courses, please see Appendix 1

10 Westminster City Council › Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report 2008 Westminster City Council › Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report 2008 11 

Working with partner agencies 

Metropolitan Police 

Successful joint working with the police at an operational level, has resulted in a key case 

being taken to court. Representation on the Safeguarding Adults Board has improved 

throughout the year and there is now increasing commitment from police colleagues to 

making clearer links between the Safeguarding Adults Board and the Crime and Disorder 

Reduction partnership. 

From 1st April 2008, Westminster’s Public Protection desk has been dealing with the issues 

raised by the Safeguarding Children legislation and will undertake the Merlin referrals 

previously dealt with by child protection teams. It is envisaged that once the Public Protection 

Desk is fully functioning, its role will be expanded to take in vulnerable adults who are subject 

to police notice. Notification will be in the same way as with children and young people. The 

Public Protection desk is responsible for supporting all the public protection teams as well as 

providing ongoing analysis of referrals that will inform the domestic violence and race and hate 

intervention panels, the Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) and the Multi– 

Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA). 

Adult Social Care Services have set up a single safeguarding adults line and safe-haven 

fax which will help expedite referrals and further facilitate joint working between council 

staff and the police. 

The Metropolitan Police safeguarding adults policy will be launched this year. The launch will 

be backed by a training programme to ensure all police officers, from new recruits to senior 

officers, are aware of their Safeguarding Adult responsibilities. 

Central and North West London Foundation Trust 

The Westminster Adult Mental Health Service has recently appointed a mental health lead to 

work alongside the lead nurse and safeguarding adults lead, to drive forward the safeguarding 

adults agenda. 

The mental health lead will translate the multi-agency policy into local procedures and 

standards to assist staff in identifying and managing the protection of vulnerable adults in their 

work areas. 

She will also develop a monitoring process to ensure that standards are adhered to and that 

information is accurately captured and action taken within agreed timescales. 

Systems will be developed to ensure that data on safeguarding adults cases in Westminster’s 

Adult Mental Health Service are fed back to the local authority and Central and North West 

London Foundation Trust. There will be a mechanism in place for reflecting on cases for learning 

and developing best practice. This will allow for earlier detection of vulnerable service users 

which can feed into the care programme approach and clinical risk management of the user. 

All serious incidents will automatically trigger a safeguarding strategy meeting. Information 

from the strategy meeting will feed into the investigation of incidents and lead to an integrated 

action plan. This plan will be implemented by the Westminster Adult Mental Health Service’s 

clinical governance structure. 

The Safeguarding lead for Mental Health will be a member of this group and, with other 

colleagues, will be responsible for the local implementation and monitoring of the plan. 

The lead will also chair a Safeguarding Steering Group for Mental Health with users and carers’ 

representation, and this meeting will also feed into the Central and North West London Steering 

Group that includes representation from all five boroughs in partnership with the Trust. 

Westminster Primary Care Trust (PCT) 

Westminster PCT’s board representative is the head of clinical governance. She has been 

an active member of the policy and procedures review group and ensures, through incident 

recording, that all safeguarding cases in the PCT are tracked, deliver outcomes, and that 

lessons are captured and learned. 

The PCT has made a commitment to jointly fund the safeguarding adults lead post, the 

Deprivation of Liberty project manager post and make a financial contribution to the 

production and launch costs of the revised multi-agency policy and procedures. 

The training and development department of the PCT has made safeguarding adults a priority 

for frontline staff. The Safeguarding module, incorporating safeguarding adults, Children and 

Domestic Violence has been delivered by a team of five presenters. Induction training is run 

once a month for up to 20 staff and refreshers three times a month for up to 20 staff. This 

means that as many as 1,000 staff have been trained to recognise the abuse of children and 

adults and how to raise a safeguarding alert. 

Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust 

The lead Nurse Medicine (Elderly Care and Stroke) is working to strengthen the safeguarding 

component of Dignity in Care through training and briefing sessions for staff and to key 

development groups at St. Mary’s Hospital. The St. Mary’s care management team are receiving 

more safeguarding referrals, reflecting growing staff awareness and confidence in recognising 

abuse and knowing what to do if they have concerns. 

The Head of Nursing (Medicine Programme Group) for the newly formed Imperial Trust has 

been given overall lead safeguarding responsibility for the Trust. She is leading a group to 

review the Trust’s internal safeguarding policy and systems. Westminster and Hammersmith 

and Fulham are represented on this working group. 

Supported housing providers, voluntary and independent sector 

An emerging theme from the evaluation report is the need to develop closer working around 

safeguarding adults with partners who deliver frontline services on behalf of the statutory


services. There needs to be greater clarity of thresholds for action, joint risk-assessments, 

better communication of decisions and clarity of roles and responsibilities, especially when 

staff are implicated in the abuse. 

The contracts unit of the Adults Services Department of Westminster City Council has regular 

contact with all contracted services and is therefore pivotal in creating relationships with 

providers and contractors. This is through regular monitoring meetings which usually take 

place on a quarterly basis. There are also visits to service users as part of the monitoring 

of quality for some contracts. Safeguarding issues are discussed at quarterly monitoring 

meetings and actions are identified to ensure appropriate actions have been taken. Council 

officers are keen to improve monitoring and reporting of safeguarding adults’ issues, 

particularly in relation to home care, and to strengthen our partnerships. 

A priority for the coming year is building a stronger framework for responding to 

establishments or agencies where there are serious concerns, linking up information 

complaints, contract monitoring, care management, safeguarding leads, the Commission for 

Social Care Inspection, users carers and advocates, and from the organisation themselves. 

Prevention of abuse 

Preparatory work by the council and contracted organisations ensures that that they have 

robust recruitment practices and undertake criminal record bureau checks for all staff working 

with vulnerable adults. They are prepared for the introduction of the vetting and barring 

scheme under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, which will replace the Protection 

of Vulnerable Adults scheme next year. 

in the partnership and to share their expertise through presentations to various audiences 

across London. 

Westminster is developing a Choice and Control board to steer the transformation of social 

care and it is anticipated that members of this board, predominantly service users, will provide 

guidance on the management of risk and safeguarding in the context self-directed care. 

Reporting and monitoring activity 

A full report of safeguarding activity in Westminster this year is in Appendix 3. The comparison 

with last year’s figures shows a pleasing and steady increase in the number of alerts that are 

being captured on SWIFT, with nine out of ten initial enquiries leading to a strategy meeting, 

and seven out of ten strategy meetings leading to a formal investigation. 

This is the first full year that the data has been captured on SWIFT and although it is a timeconsuming 

data entry process, the quality of data, including recording of outcomes, has 

undoubtedly improved. 

The evaluation commissioned by the board this year has provided qualitative data to 

supplement the prevalence data and indicates where the systems supporting safeguarding 

adults work in Westminster needs to be further strengthened. 

Links to strategic partnerships: crime and disorder 

The city’s crime and disorder partnership is setting up a multi-agency risk assessment 

conference, an information-sharing framework for agencies working with victims of domestic 

violence, which, since the introduction the Domestic Violence Crimes and Victims Act 2004, 

includes vulnerable adults who may be being abused by a family member. 

The multi-agency risk assessment conference is about developing a strong multi-agency 

approach and response to domestic abuse, in order that each agency has a more 

comprehensive idea of what is occurring in a victim’s life and can respond accordingly. 

The safeguarding adults lead has been asked to be a representative on the Multi-Agency Risk 

Assessment Conference. Workshops have developed a common risk assessment model and 

the process for referring high risk cases and an information sharing protocol. 

Service users as key partners 

The learning disability self-advocacy group, Our Choice, has launched and distributed an 

action against bullying accessible leaflet and a training package which they have delivered to 

all staff attending Learning Disability Qualification training. 

People with learning disabilities continue to be involved in the recruitment of staff working


Lessons learned this year 

Assuring quality 

The methods we have used this year to reflect on safeguarding work in Westminster, to extract 

learning and to plan the coming years’ activities and priorities, are external evaluation, case 

review, and analysis of feedback, including complaints, from partner agencies, regulators, 

carers and users and front-line staff, and staff to extract learning. 

The findings and recommendations of the external evaluation and the actions taken are 

outlined above. 

A case review of the successful prosecution of abusers of an older Westminster resident 

indicates that multi-agency co-operation and staff practices in Westminster compare very 

favourably with the recommendations arising from the Margaret Panting Serious Case Review. 

This included: 

› correct assessment of risk through GP screening of those aged over 70 and listening to 

concerns of friend and neighbours 

› timely use of the safeguarding adults process to plan and monitor safeguarding 

interventions including appropriate care packages 

› respecting user choice whilst actively pursuing a safeguarding plan 

› work across authorities when the service user left the city 

› work with the police to persuade the Crown Prosecution Service to take the case to court 

› good inter-authority and inter-agency communication sustained over two years by the 

Safeguarding Adults Manager demonstrating a model of best safeguarding practice. 

This case predated the implementation of the Mental Capacity Act but staff demonstrated the 

application of the statutory principles in all the decision-making with the service user. 

This case and the case that was taken to the High Court provide two examples of the commitment 

of front-line staff in all agencies, supported by the resources of the council, to work together to seek 

and secure legal redress for vulnerable adults. 

Other reviews of cases through practitioner forums have shown that there is a culture in 

Westminster of responsible vigilance and willingness to work with vulnerable adults who do 

not meet existing adult services’ criteria. There is a willingness to intervene early to prevent the 

escalation of risk and serious harm to these people. There is also a need to clarify who will respond 

to allegation of abuse of vulnerable adults placed in service within the city by another authority, and 

for self-funders. This is currently being done on a good-will basis and will be formalised this year. 

The Westminster placement monitoring arrangements extend this vigilance to people who are 

placed out of borough. There have been a number of cases of abuse uncovered and actions taken 

to safeguard service users, working in partnership with safeguarding teams in host authorities 

outside of Westminster. 

Feedback from regulators suggests that managers need safeguarding adults thresholds to be 

more clearly defined in order to enable staff to respond proportionately to allegations of abuse 

in regulated settings. 

Evidence of increasing numbers of alerts suggests that all the training programme and staff 

development activities in all partner agencies, and briefings to community groups, are raising 

staff and public awareness. A priority this year will be ensuring that all this work is properly 

recorded and data captured on SWIFT and electronic client records. 

Safeguarding developments 

The strategic plan outlining the safeguarding adults priorities for the coming year is informed 

by all of the lessons learned throughout the year. See appendix 2 for further details. 

The partner agencies of the board have acknowledged that national drivers are placing 

safeguarding adults centre stage in the transformation of adult services by appointing the 

Deprivation of Liberty Project Manager and safeguarding adults lead and one day of a team 

leader post in Westminster Adult Mental Health Service. 

The board is implementing the recommendations of the evaluation report in the way 

outlined above. 

Safeguarding will remain a priority in Westminster, whilst simplifying the point of referral for 

external agencies and members of the public, and increasing the capacity of the Safeguarding 

team to support practice, track case progress and extract lessons learned. 

Safeguarding is embedded into all the transformation of adult social care work being led by 

the council and including the development of access and information; IT; case recording and 

outcome monitoring; and the development of self-directed care. 

The increased capacity of the Safeguarding team will enable even more effective partnership 

working with the police and health, and give the council the capacity to build on existing work 

with service users and carers as expert partners. The board is focusing on achieving strategic 

buy-in to safeguarding adults at executive levels of all partner agencies in Westminster. 

Last word 

The Safeguarding Adults Board wishes to thank everyone working in all health and social care 

organisations, housing and the police and criminal justice system, for their continuous and 

sustained work throughout the year; work that is helping vulnerable people in Westminster to 

exercise their choice, and independence, free from harm or abuse by others.


Appendix 1 

Organisations that 

attended training courses 

Appendix 2 

Westminster Safeguarding 

Adults action plan 2008/09 

Adult’s Services (Westminster) 

Age Concern 

Carers Network Westminster 

CNWL (MH Trust) 

Centrepoint 

Westminster Centre for Independent Living 

Chinese Domiciliary Care Team 

Church Army 

City Guardians 

Connexions at St. Martins 

Deafblind UK 

Depaul Trust 

Housing 21 

Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy Service 

Life Opportunities Trust 

London Cyrenians 

Nacro 

Outlook Care Group 

Penderells Trust 

PIP 

St. Mary’s Hospital 

St Mungo’s 

Thames Reach Housing 

Westminster Carers 

Westlink 

Westminster Primary Care Trust 

Westminster Society 

Westminster MIND


Joint planning and capability 

Prevention of abuse and neglect 

Standard 1: The partnership 

Standard 3: In the community 

Priorities Actions By whom By When 

Priorities Actions By whom By When 

To ensure that the 

Westminster safeguarding 

adults (SGA) multi-agency 

partnership provides 

leadership and the 

framework for effective 

planning, implementation 

and monitoring of SGA 

work. 

Forward plan developed against 

Safeguarding Adults (SGA) standard 

and endorsed by all key partners. 

Review Terms of Reference (TOR) 

and strengthen membership of SAB 

half-day facilitated workshop. 

Secure senior representation from all 

key partner agencies. 

SGA Partnership linked to the Local 

Strategic Partnership via the Crime 

and Disorder Reduction Partnership. 

Organise a SGA conference to 

demonstrate the commitment of 

key partners to SGA work at both 

strategic and operational levels of 

their agency. 

SMSC to draft plan Safeguarding 

Adults Board (SAB) to sign off 

July 2008 

SAB May 2008 

SMSC and ADSCS to effect 

Assistant Director Social Care 

Services (ADSCS), Training 

and Development (T&D) Adults 

Commissioner, 

SMSA 

By 

Dec 2008 

Oct 2008 

To ensure that every 

persons’ right to live 

a life free from abuse 

and neglect is actively 

promoted to the public 

by the Local Strategic 

Partnership, the 

safeguarding adults 

partnership, and its 

member organisations. 

Standard 4: Within service delivery 

Develop a communication strategy 

to raise public awareness of abuse 

and the actions people can take to 

safeguard themselves and others. 

Develop stronger links with the 

Community Protection Directorate 

(CPD) 

SMSA to liaise with CPD and 

explore joint work around 

safeguarding individuals and 

communities. 

SMSA member of Multi Agency 

Risk Assessment Conference 

(MARAC) 

SA Conference Borough 

Commander. 

Spring 

2008 

Sept 2008 

Sept 2008 

October 

2008 

SGA strategy is referenced in the 

local delivery plan. 

SCA and ADSCS to effect 

By 

Dec 2008 

Priorities Actions By whom By when 

Standard 2: Partner organisations 


To ensure that each 

partner has a good 

understanding of its 

role in the work of 

safeguarding adults and 

make a clear commitment 

of resources appropriate 

to that role. 

Increase Westminster City Council’s 

capacity to carry out its No Secrets 

lead responsibilities and offer 

support to partner organisations: 

Appoint a full-time SGA Lead 

(SAL)(joint-funded). 

Appoint a full-time Deprivation of 

Liberty project work (joint-funded). 

Seek joint funding for a Safeguarding 

Adults 

SMSA 

Chair of Local Implementation 

Group (LIG) 

July 2008 

Aug 2008 

To work together with 

providers, commissioners 

and regulators to ensure 

that safeguards are in 

place so that adults who 

receive community care 

services are protected 

from abuse and neglect 

both in care settings and 

in their own homes. 

Increase the number of safeguarding 

adults awareness raising sessions 

for partner agencies increased to 8 

per quarter. 

Review the training and development 

programme and work with providers 

to identify the learning needs in 

relation to SGA and Dignity in Care. 

Develop a case tracking and care 

audit process. 

Introduce standard forms to record 

key decisions including assessment 

of risk or seriousness; referral forms; 

minutes of strategy meetings or 

discussions and case conferences; 

safeguarding plans. 

T&D to audit training in partner 

agencies and to develop SGA. 

workforce development plan 

T&D Adult Commissioning 

Manager. 

From April 

2008 

SAL July 2008 

Quality Assurance Officer to assist 

with case tracking and audit, and 

administering meetings and minutetaking. 

SMSA 

Aug 2008 

Hold quarterly reflective sessions for 

practitioners and SGA managers to 

develop and improve knowledge, skill 

and confidence in safeguarding work 

SAL to publish dates and venues 

to all relevant staff and to focus 

work around key issues flagged 

through casework. 

From July 

2008


Prevention of abuse and neglect (continued) 

Responding to abuse and neglect 

Standard 5: Training standards 

Standard 6: Upholding human rights 



To develop the 

Westminster safeguarding 

adults multi-agency 

workforce development 

and training strategy and 

ensure that it is properly 

resourced. 

Set up T&D multi-agency subgroup 

of the board to develop SGA 


Include SGA in induction of all 

staff working with and caring for 

vulnerable adults in all partner 

agencies. 

Review the training and development 

programme and work with providers 

to identify the learning needs in 

relation to SGA and Dignity in Care. 

T&D Adults Commissioner Sept 2008 


Manager SAB workforce 

development sub-group 


Manager 

January 

2009 

To ensure that any action 

taken by organisations 

in the Westminster 

Safeguarding partnership 

to safeguard an adult 

should meet human rights 

standards and be 

proportionate to the 

perceived level of risk and 

seriousness. 

Provide training and information 

to staff in partner organisations 

and raise public awareness of 

Deprivation of Liberty (Mental 

Capacity Act 2005). 

TOR of local Implementation group 

revised. 

Deprivation of Liberty (DOL) project 

worker appointed. 

DOL project scoped. 

Programme of briefings and training 

for assessors designed. 

Communication strategy regularly 

updated. 

Progress reported to LIG and SGA 

Board 

LIG Chair 

LIG Chair 

DOLPM 


Manager & DOLPM 

LIG Chair & DOLPM 

April 2008 

Aug 2008 

Sept 2008 

Oct 2008 

April 2008 

– 

April 2009 

Link SGA training programme 

including to staff SGA objectives and 

PDPs: mandatory training 


SAB workforce development 

sub-group 

Sept 2008 

Standard 7: Joint systems 

Priorities Actions By Whom By When 

Test the feasibility of E-Learning 

package for staff in all partner 

agencies 

Work with the police to develop the 

investigators course – joint training 

with police and linked to ABE. 


sub-group 


sub-group 

Sept 2008 

Sept 2008 

To ensure that the local 

multi-agency SGA 

policy and procedure 

describing the framework 

for responding to all 

adults “who is or may be 

eligible for community 

care services” and who 

may be at risk of abuse 

or neglect are up-to-date 

and accessible. 

Complete and publish refreshed 

policy and procedures in October 

2008. 

Work with communication team re 

design, publication and launch of 

new policy/procedures. 

Launch at conference. 

Develop T&D programme. 

Develop accessible version and 

toolkits. 

Safeguarding Adults Policy and 

Procedures Review Network 

(SAPPREN) 

SMSA – Westminster City Council 

and the Royal Borough of 

Kensington and Chelsea 


Manager 

T&D Sub group of Board 

Oct 2008 

From April 

2008 

Oct 2008 

Re-introduce practice forums for 

practitioners and SGA Managers 

SAL 

From April 

2008 

Explore setting up joint SA fund with 

partner agencies 

Part of work to develop SA 


September 

2008


Responding to abuse and neglect (continued) 

Access and involvement 

Standard 8: Partner agency systems 

Standard 10: Equal access to safeguarding services 



To ensure that each 

partner agency has a set 

of internal guidelines, 

consistent with the 

Westminster multi-agency 

safeguarding adults policy 

and procedures, which 

set out the responsibilities 

of all workers to operate 

within it. 

Work with Imperial to develop internal 

SA guidelines that ensure consistent 

response to and staff understanding 

of POVA: 

Provide SA briefings to staff teams 

Imperial representative on SA 

management committee. 

Contribute to safeguarding adults 

work – training, policy development 

at St Mary’s/Imperial. 

SMSA and SAL 

SMSA and SAL 

From April 

2008 

September 

2008 

To ensure that the 

safeguarding procedures 

are accessible to all 

adults covered by the 

policy. 

Distribute accessible leaflet Action 

Against Bullying. 

Set up a designated safeguarding 

adults line and safe-haven fax to 

receive referrals from the public, the 

police, London Ambulance Service 

and the Commission for Social care 

inspection. 

Publicise number through campaign 

Posters, leaflets, articles etc 

Vertex, Service Manager, 

North West Older People 

and Physical Disabilities 

(SMNWOP&PD),SMSA 

SMSA and communications 

May 2008 

1st Aug 

2008 

1st Aug 

2008 

Autumn 

2008 

Standard 9: Effective procedures 

Continue to work with CNWL to 

develop internal SGA guidelines 

for in-patient settings 

SAC from Westminster City 

Council and the Royal Borough 

of Kensington and Chelsea 

to work with senior CNWL 

managers. 

From June 

2007 


The multi-agency 

safeguarding adults 

procedures detail the 

following stages: 

alert, referral, decision, 

safeguarding assessment 

strategy, safeguarding 

assessment, 

safeguarding plan, review, 

recording and monitoring. 

Teams to ensure SWIFT adult 

protection module is capturing 

all POVA activity. 

Review following findings from 

TIS pilot. 

Build safeguarding adults into 

development plan of new CIS. 

SAL July 2008 

Director of Adult Social Services 

(DASS) & IT commissioner 

Standard 11: Engaging citizens 


To ensure that 

Westminster’s 

Safeguarding partnership 

includes service users as 

key partners in all aspects 

of its work. 

Review of TOR of management 

committee to include plan to 

increase user involvement. 

Building safeguarding into all 

aspects of Transformation of 

Social Care work. 

Design a publicity campaign 

to raise public awareness of 

safeguarding adults. 

SMSA and SAL 

ADSCS and SMSA 

SMSA and Communications 

Autumn 

2008 

From July 

2008 

From April 

2008 

Introduce case tracking and audit 

to test consistent application of 

procedures, to ascertain outcomes 

for the service users and to capture 

learning. 

SAL 

Case review sub- group of the 

SGA Board 

July 2008 

July 2008

24 Westminster City Council › Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report 2008 

Westminster City Council › Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report 2008 25 

Appendix 3 

Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults 

in Westminster end-of-year 

monitoring report 2007/08 

Introduction 

This is the first full year that safeguarding adults monitoring information 

has been captured on the adult protection module on SWIFT. Since 

Adult Social Services staff have been using SWIFT (from January 2006), 

there has been a 27% increase in the numbers of abuse cases reported 

as can be seen by comparing activity in 2007/08 with 2006/07. The 

Community Mental Health Teams do not routinely use SWIFT and there 

is under-reporting of adult protection activity in mental health, although 

this activity is captured through the Trust’s serious incident reporting. 

The Trust is in the process of strengthening their adult protection/ 

safeguarding adults reporting systems to better reflect the activity in this 

area. It is anticipated that the introduction of electronic client records 

and the dashboard will lead to further rises in number of safeguarding 

adults/adult protection cases recorded in 2008/09.


Summary 

Alerts received 

There were 151 alerts received in 2007/08, compared to 119 in 2006/07, an increase of 

27%. The trend therefore is upwards but Westminster still records less adult protection 

alerts than most other London authorities. The table below shows the latest available 

comparative figures for London. 

 

Council 

2005/06 

Referrals 

City of London 1 2 

Merton 34 70 

Kingston upon Thames 63 83 

Richmond upon Thames 66 88 

Bromley 95 103 

Islington 170 103 

Westminster 91 119 

Hammersmith & Fulham 56 121 

Havering 64 128 

Hillingdon 108 128 

Camden 61 141 

Greenwich 38 144 

Bexley 87 149 

Brent 131 158 

Haringey 87 158 

Barnet 153 159 

Waltham Forest 91 159 

Barking & Dagenham 103 168 

Redbridge 188 174 

Lewisham 118 186 

Harrow 164 187 

Lambeth 126 189 

Southwark 135 196 

Hackney 9311 198 

Newham 147 207 

Croydon 117 233 

Wandsworth 83 240 

Sutton 48 243 

Ealing 280 259 

Hounslow 231 260 

Enfield 251 281 

Tower Hamlets 168 315 

Kensington & Chelsea 254 369 

2006/07 

Referrals 

There is no consistency of what constitutes an alert across London so authorities may be counting differently i.e. at 

first point of contact or when the alert is confirmed as a Safeguarding/POVA issue warranting a full enquiry. 

69% of referrals during the year were from Adults’ Services teams (Older People and 

Disabilities); 23% were from the Learning Disabilities Partnership; 5% were from Community 

Mental Health Teams; 3% were from Joint Homelessness Team, and 1% were not recorded. 

Information about the alleged victim 

The highest number of people experiencing abuse were aged over 65 (53%) with 46% of 

people were aged . One alert was for an alleged victim aged 17 at the time of referral. 

74% of alerts were related to white people and 26% related to people from Black and Minority 

Ethnic (BME) communities; this compares to 24% of the local population being from BME 

communities ie the proportion of people from BME communities subject to POVA alerts is 

similar to the proportion in the local community. 

Source of the referral and location of incident 

20% of alerts this year came from provider agencies, mainly day care centres and residential/ 

nursing care homes. 14% came from health, both in-patient or and community services, and a 

further 9% came from carers, both family members and non-family members, usually paid carers. 

Nearly half (48%) of alleged incidents occurred in the user’s home and a further third (29%) 

occurred in residential and nursing homes. 

Type of alleged abuse 

Physical abuse was most common type of abuse reported in 2007/08, particularly for older 

people. The second most common type of abuse was financial/material. 

About the alleged perpetrator 

Limited information was known or recorded about the alleged perpetrator. 

This year, 57% of the alleged abusers (where known) were men and 43% women. 

31% of alleged perpetrators (where known) were paid carers and 14% were the son or 

daughter of an older person. For 19% of incidents there was no relationship between the 

alleged perpetrator and the victim. 

The Action on Elder Abuse UK Study of Abuse and Neglect in Older People prevalence study (June 2007) 

showed that nationally there is under-reporting of abuse. The report found that 1 in 40 adult people aged 65-74 

experience mistreatment within a relationship of trust i.e. family members, close friends and paid carers. In 2005 

the Westminster population aged 65-74 in 2005 was 13,135. This means as many as 325 older people may be 

experiencing mistreatment. Less than a third are coming tour attention. 

This is a worrying statistic as the trend for adult children to remain in the family home increases. Abuse between adult 

family members constitutes a crime under the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004.


Information gathering and outcome of enquiries 

87% of alerts identified the need for a strategy meeting compared to 83% last year. Two 

percent of allegations were withdrawn and for seven percent, there was inadequate evidence 

to confirm whether the allegation was founded. Three percent of allegations were deemed 

unfounded and for one person was not deemed to be a vulnerable adult. 

Strategy meetings 

A high proportion of strategy meetings (76%) identified the need for a formal investigation; 

11% of allegations were either unfounded or withdrawn following a strategy meeting; and for 

14% there was inadequate evidence to warrant a full enquiry, and in one case, the person was 

not a vulnerable adult. 

Case conferences and reviews 

Half of all cases reported went to case conference and a full list of outcomes of these case 

conferences is listed on page 9 of this report. 

Appendix 1 provides detailed information about activity during the year, including: 

› numbers of referrals received 

› service users’ age, gender and ethnicity 

› the source of the referral/alert 

› where the abuse took place 

› type of abuse 

› information about the perpetrator 

› outcomes at key points in the POVA/Safeguarding process; information gathering, strategy 

meeting, investigation and case conference. 

The information in this report will be complemented by an evaluation of safeguarding adults 

activity in Westminster that has be commissioned by the Director of Adult Services. The 

findings will be reported to the Safeguarding Adults Board in June 2008. 

Appendix 1 

POVA referrals received 

2007/08 2006/07 

Team name No. % Team name No. % 

OP/Dis North West 47 31% OP Marylebone 4 3% 

OP/Dis North East 12 8% OP Paddington 12 10% 

OP/Dis South 37 25% OP Victoria 12 10% 

OP West End 10 8% 

Disability North 4 3% 

Disability South 9 8% 

OP St. Mary’s 8 5% OP St. Mary’s 16 13% 

Learning Disabilities 35 23% Learning Disabilities 44 37% 

MH Paddington 3 2% MH Paddington 3 3% 

MH Abbey Road 0 0% MH Abbey Road 2 2% 

MH West End 0 0% MH West End 0 0% 

MH Victoria 4 3% MH Victoria 2 2% 

Substance Misuse 0 0% Substance Misuse 0 0% 

JHT 4 3% JHT 1 1% 

Total 150 100% Total 119 100% 

Information about service users – age, gender and ethnicity 

2007/08 2006/07 

Age No. % No. % 

Under 18* 1 1% 0 0 

Under 65 69 46% 51 49% 

65+ 80 53% 54 51% 

Total 150 100% 105 100% 

Unknown 1 14 

*aged 17 at time of referral 

2007/08 2006/07 

Gender No. % No. % 

Male 61 40% 50 45% 

Female 90 60% 62 55% 

Total 151 100% 112 100% 

Unknown 7


Information about service users – age, gender and ethnicity (continued) 

2007/08 2006/07 

Ethnicity No. % No. % 

White 109 74% 83 75% 

Mixed 3 2% 1 1% 

Black or Black British 16 11% 11 10% 

Asian or Asian British 12 8% 6 5% 

Other 8 5% 9 8% 

Total 148 100% 110 100% 

Not known 3 9 

Source of referral 

2007/08 2006/07 

No. % No. % 

Allocated worker 2 1% 0 0% 

Anonymous 2 1% 0 0% 

Carer (family member) 1 1% 0 0% 

Carer (non-family member) 12 8% 0 0% 

Community Health 9 6% 14 12% 

Community Support and Rehabilitation Service 2 1% 0 0% 

Provider agency 29 20% 49 41% 

Family member (non-carer) 6 4% 5 4% 

Friend 0 0% 5 4% 

Hospital 12 8% 7 6% 

Housing 4 3% 0 0% 

Neighbour 0 0% 2 2% 

Other 21 14% 25 21% 

Other local authority social services 6 4% 0 0% 

Partner 0 0% 2 2% 

Physiotherapy 2 1% 0 0% 

Police 4 3% 0 0% 

Private agency 4 3% 0 0% 

Scheme manager 2 1% 0 0% 

Self-referral (party concerned) 11 8% 10 8% 

Voluntary agency 5 3% 0 0% 

Westminster City Council 12 8% 0 0% 

Total 146 100% 119 100% 

Not recorded 5 3% 

Where did the incident take place 

2007/08 2006/07 

No. % No. % 

Day resource 5 4% 1 1% 

Hospital 6 4% 4 3% 

Nursing home 13 9% 7 6% 

Other 11 8% 9 8% 

Public place 8 6% 8 7% 

Relative’s home 1 1% 2 2% 

Residential home 29 21% 30 26% 

User’s own home 68 48% 54 47% 

Total 141 100% 115 100% 

Unknown 10 4 

Type of alleged abuse (includes main category and other categories) 

2007/08 2006/07 

Learning Disabilities 

Mental Health (inc JHT) 

Older People / Physical 

Disabilities 

Physical 15 7 33 25 2 22 4 

Neglect 5 23 5 0 5 2 

Sexual 4 1 4 4 1 2 1 

Institutional 1 2 1 1 12 0 

Emotional/psychological 7 3 11 12 3 5 3 

Financial/material 4 4 38 6 5 27 7 

Discriminatory/hate crime 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 

Learning Disabilities 

Mental Health (inc JHT) 

Older People 

Physical Disabilities


Information about the alleged perpetrator 

Strategy meeting 

2007/08 2006/07 

Gender No. % No. % 

Male 33 57% 44 56% 

Female 25 43% 35 44% 

Total 58 100% 79 100% 

2007/08 2006/07 

Relationship to service user No. % No. % 

Brother 2 2% 0 0% 

Carer - non family member 3 3% 1 1% 

Carer (paid) 31 31% 40 43% 

Cohabitee 1 1% 0 0% 

Son or daughter 14 14% 4 4% 

Ex-cohabitee of mother 1 1% 0 0% 

Family (other) 0 0% 6 7% 

Friend 7 7% 11 12% 

Grandson 1 1% 0 0% 

Husband/wife/partner 11 11% 2 2% 

Father/mother 1 1% 3 3% 

Neighbour 4 4% 5 5% 

No relationship 19 19% 0 0% 

Residential/nursing home worker 3 3% 0 0% 

Self 1 1% 0 0% 

Sister in law 1 1% 0 0% 

Other 0 0% 20 22% 

Total 100 100% 92 100% 

Outcomes at key points of POVA/Safeguarding process information gathering 

2007/08 2006/07 

No. % No. % 

Allegation withdrawn - NFA 3 2% 2 2% 

Inadequate evidence - NFA 10 7% 8 7% 

Not a vulnerable adult 2 1% 6 5% 

Strategy meeting required 125 87% 92 83% 

Unfounded - NFA 4 3% 3 3% 

Total 144 100% 111 100% 

2007/08 2006/07 

No. % No. % 

Allegation unfounded NFA 9 7% 4 5% 

Allegation withdrawn NFA 5 4% 1 1% 

Formal investigation required 96 76% 56 73% 

Inadequate evidence NFA 11 9% 13 17% 

Not a vulnerable adult 6 5% 3 4% 

Total 127 100% 77 100% 

Formal investigation 

Case conference required 42 

Further investigation required 6 

Further strategy meeting required 3 

No further action 21 

Case conferences/reviews 2007/08 

Allegation disproved 6 

Allegation likely on balance of probability 15 

Allegation proved 7 

Court proceedings 2 

Criminal investigation 5 

Disciplinary procedures 2 

Insufficient evidence 11 

Insufficient evidence to prosecute 1 

Investigation not complete - Need CC review 10 

No further action 3 

Not recorded 7 

Other 8 

Safeguarding plan in place 9 

Staff dismissed 2 

Total 88 

 

Limited information known or recorded about the perpetrator 

 

There can be more than one outcome for a case conference.


Westminster City Council › Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report 2008 35 

Glossary 

ADASS Association of Directors of Adult Social Services 

ADSCS Assistant Director Social Care Services 

CNWL Central North West London Foundation Trust 

CPA 

Care Planning Approach 

CPD 

Community Protection Directorate 

CSCI 

Commission for Social Care Inspection 

CSIP 

Care Services Improvement Partnership 

DASS Director of Adult Social Services 

DOL 

Deprivation of Liberty 

IMCA 

Independent Mental Capacity Advocate 

LAPN London Adult Protection Network 

LIG 

Local Implementation Group 

MAPPA Multi–Agency Public Protection Arrangements 

MARAC Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference 

MCA Mental Capacity Act 2005 

MPS 

Metropolitan Police Service 

PCT 

Primary Care Trust 

PPD 

Public Protection Desk 

SAC 

Safeguarding Adults Co-ordinator 

SAL 

Safeguarding Adults Lead 

SAPPREN Safeguarding Adults Policy and Procedures Review Network 

SCIE 

Social Care Institute of Excellence 

SGA 

Safeguarding Adults 

SMNWOP&PD Service Manager, North West Older People and Physical Disabilities 

SUI 

Serious Untoward Incident 

TOR 

Terms of Reference 

WAMHS Westminster Adult Mental Health Service


Westminster City Hall, 64 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6QP 

Main Switchboard 020 7641 6000 www.westminster.gov.uk 

© Westminster City Council 2007

Westminster Safeguarding Adults Board - Westminster City Council

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