Gateshead Safeguarding Adults Annual Report 2024/25

The GSAB devolves responsibility for the undertaking of undertaking of safeguarding adult reviews to the SARCC group.  In 2024/25 five safeguarding adult review referrals were received.  All cases were discussed by the group using the rapid review process with 1 progressing to a mandatory SAR and 1 progressing to a discretionary appreciative inquiry. In addition to this the GSAB also commissioned a thematic review following the airing of a Panorama programme in December 2023.

Recruitment

During 2024/25, the Gateshead Safeguarding Adults Board (GSAB) and the Gateshead Safeguarding Children Partnership (GSCP) successfully secured funding for a new Safeguarding Partnership Officer role. Claire Stewart was appointed to the position and joined the team in December 2024. The role is primarily focused on supporting the Safeguarding Adults Review (SAR) process, ensuring that learning and recommendations arising from SARs and final reports are systematically recorded, monitored, and actioned. This includes oversight of both single-agency and multi-agency responses to ensure improvements in safeguarding practice.

Learning register

Throughout 2024/25, the group continued to support the development of a Learning Register designed to capture key learning from Safeguarding Adults Reviews (SARs). This register serves as a vital tool for the Quality, Learning and Practice (QLP) group, enabling effective monitoring of actions and progress updates. Ongoing work is focused on enhancing the register to ensure that assurance information from partner agencies is consistently gathered, recorded, and used to inform safeguarding improvements.

Cross boundary working

During the year, two Safeguarding Adult Review (SAR) referrals involved individuals who were engaged with services across Durham and Gateshead. These cases a lack of multi-agency and cross-boundary collaboration. Agencies had not worked together to gather relevant information from all involved local authority areas, shared this information effectively, or facilitated joint meetings to ensure inclusive decision-making.

Following a learning event where cross boundary working was discussed specific actions were taken away to consider how meaningful discussion across two Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB) areas can be undertaken, fostering shared learning and demonstrating a strong commitment from all partners to engage in the process. Notably, there was a clear willingness from representatives to participate in cross-boundary discussions, enhancing the quality and consistency of safeguarding practice.

The GSAB Business Manager will contribute to the development of a regional Cross-Boundary SAR protocol to further strengthen collaborative efforts across the region.

Engagement of care home managers in the SAR process

Following discussions within the SARCC, it was recognised that care home managers play a vital role throughout the SAR process—from the provision of initial scoping information and attendance at rapid reviews to active involvement in full Safeguarding Adults Reviews.

To support this, it was agreed that the GSAB Business Manager would deliver a targeted briefs within the Commissioning Provider Forums. This initiative aimed to enhance understanding among care home managers of the purpose of a SAR and clarify their role within the process, promoting more effective engagement and collaboration.

Learning from SARs

There are key actions undertaken following the completion of a SAR In order to ensure the Safeguarding Adults Board takes forward the learning and recommendations:

A multi-agency action plan is developed; this is agreed by the partners and regular updates are requested by the SG Business Unit.  The action plans are monitored and reviewed by the QLP subgroup and any issues with the completion of actions are escalated via the Safeguarding Adults Board Executive.

Single agency actions are monitored via the QLP Subgroup, a monitoring tool is used to ensure all actions are responded to by agencies and any issues are escalated via the Safeguarding Adults Board Executive and senior representatives of the agencies involved.

Multi-agency briefings are designed and delivered to all partners, sharing the case information and the recommendations and actions with frontline practitioners.

Resources and guides are developed and published on the Safeguarding Adults Board website which provides a useful resource library for practitioners.

Feedback

Following a SAR Rapid Review where a Team Manager came along to present information, they provided the following feedback:

 "No need to thank us for attending it is important learning for us all and part of our role, the learning we gain from these pieces of work is invaluable so thank for inviting us to take part"