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Legislation to protect Older People and other Adults at risk of abuse...

 

The Consultation on No Secrets has now ended.  But the Safeguarding Adults Alliance has just begun, and the objective is to achieve Adult Protection legislation.

Introduction:

Protection for adults at risk of abuse in England or Wales is covered by documents called  No Secrets  (England) and In Safe Hands (Wales).  These were  issued as guidance in 2000, under section 7 of the  Local Authority Social Services Act 1970.  

Section  7 guidance does not carry the same status as  legislation; instead local authorities have their compliance assessed as part of a statutory inspection process.  With ‘good reason’ a local authority can ignore such guidance.  No other Agency is influenced by Section 7 guidance.  As a consequence we are failing to adequately protect older people and other vulnerable adults.  

The Government has challenged us all to justify why we need legislation, and we are throwing the challenge back.  The Government should justify why it is not prepared to lead on proposing legislation.  Right now we have laws to protect our animals,  but not our old people like Margaret Panting. Not people like Stephen Hoskins.  Can this be right?

Background information is available by clicking here.

       AEA submitted a comprehensive response to the Consultation Process, 
       analysing the arguments within the consultation document, and 
       drawing conclusions on the best way forward.  A copy of the 
       response is available by clicking here.

       
       Responses from other organisations
       (Click on the name to download the document)

                                                                            

What does it say about legislation?
       *  Action for Advocacy  
          (No Secrets response)
Does not mention legislation
       *  Age Concern England and Help 
          the Aged (No Secrets response)
Calls for legislation
       *  Alzheimer's Society (No Secrets 
          response)
Calls for legislation
       *  Association of Directors of Adult 
          Social Services  (No Secrets response)
Calls for legislation
       *  Berkshire Joint Legal Team  
          (No Secrets response)
Examples of current law that can help intervention
       *  Birmingham City Council 
          (No Secrets response)
Calls for legislation
       *  British Society of Rehabilitation 
          Medicine  (No Secrets response)
Calls for legislation
       *  Cambridgeshire County Council    
          (No Secrets response)
Calls for legislation
       *  Commission for Social Care 
          Inspection  (No Secrets response)
Calls for legislation
       *  Counsel and Care  
          (No Secrets response)
Calls for legislation
       *  Dept of Psychiatry, University of 
          Birmingham  (No Secrets response)
Did not address the question of 'framework legislation'
       *  Downs Syndrome Association (No 
          Secrets response)
Calls for legislation
       *  Eastern Region Adult Protection 
          Network   (No Secrets response)
Calls for legislation
       *  EroSH, sheltered housing    
          (No Secrets response)
Calls for legislation
       *  Essex Council    (No Secrets response) Calls for legislation
       *  Hampshire County Council  
          (No Secrets response)
Calls for legislation
       *   Health Care Commission  (No Secrets
           response)
Calls for legislation
       *  InTouch   (No Secrets response) Calls for legislation
       *  Joseph Rowntree Foundation  
          (No Secrets response)
Does not mention legislation
       *  Kent and Medway Council  
          (No Secrets response)
Feedback suggests legislation is needed
        * Law Society (No Secrets response) Calls for legislation
       *  Local Government Association 
          (No Secrets response)
Calls for legislation
       *  London Ambulance Service  
          (No Secrets response)
Legislation would be welcome
       *  Luton Council  (No Secrets response) Calls for legislation
       *  Lynne Phair, nurse  
          (No Secrets response)
Calls for legislation
       *  Margaret Flynn and Hilary Brown 
          (No Secrets response)
Calls for legislation
       *  Mencap  (No Secrets response) Calls for legislation
       *  Mind  (No Secrets response) Calls for duties but not legislation
       *  National Autistic Society (No Secrets 
          response)
Calls for legislation
       *  NHS Confederation (No Secrets 
          response)
Mixed views.  Some agree and some do not.
       *  NHS Safeguarding leads    
          (No Secrets response)
Calls for legislation
       *  North Tyneside joint response 
          (No Secrets response)
Calls for legislation
       *  Nottinghamshire Council (No Secrets 
          response)
Legislation would be helpful
       *  PAVA   (No Secrets response)  Calls for legislation
       *  Public Concern at Work (No 
          Secrets response)
Only considers whistleblowing issues
       *  Registered Nursing Homes 
          Association  (No Secrets response)
Calls for legislation, but not yet.  Sort out other matters first.
       *  Richmond upon Thames (No Secrets 
          response)
Calls for legislation
       *  Rochdale Council (No Secrets 
          response)
Wants a statutory basis for Safeguarding Boards
       *  Royal College of Nursing  
          (No Secrets response)
No mention made
       *  Salford Council (No Secrets 
          response)
Indicates the need for legislation
       *  Scope  (No Secrets response) Calls for legislation
       *  Stockton Council (No Secrets 
          response)
No reference to legislation question
       *  South Gloucestershire Council  
          (No Secrets response)
Calls for legislation
       *  Southwark Council  
          (No Secrets response)
Calls for legislation
       *  Sue Garwood, Housing Specialist   
          (No Secrets response)
Calls for legislation
       *  Thurrock Council  
          (No Secrets response)
Feedback suggests legislation is needed
       *  Tony Greenwood, Adult Protection
          Coordinator  (No Secrets response)
Calls for legislation
       *  Tower Hamlets Council   
          (No Secrets response)
Calls for legislation
       *  United Kingdom Homecare 
          Association (No Secrets response)
Calls for legislation
       *  Voice UK  (No Secrets response) Calls for legislation
       *  Wakefield Council (No Secrets 
          response)
Unclear.  It implies a need for legislation
       *  Walsall Council (no Secrets response) Calls for legislation

 


      Background information:

     
AEA press release on the consultation launch
      The AEA policy position on the consultation process
      Questions and answers on the consultation and legislation
      Guidance on the consultation process
      

      Email Update Oct 2008
      Email Update Dec 2008
      No Secrets consultation update Dec 2008
     Download copies of the presentation for the Legislation Conference

      A copy of the 2007 consultation document on adult protection legislation
     
A copy of the Scottish Adult Protection Act 
      (which will take you to another website)

      A copy of No Secrets
      A copy of the Consultation Document
      A copy of the DH funded AEA report into Adult protection systems
      A copy of the elder abuse community Prevalence Report
      A copy of the AEA analysis of the Prevalence Report
      A copy of the Serious Case Review into the death of Steven Hoskin 

      



 

 

 

©2006 Action on Elder Abuse Registered Charity No: 1048397

Options

The Consultation document on No Secrets is available by clicking here

 

Irwin Mitchell: actively supporting the call for Adult Protection legislation

.................................

 


What do the experts 
think? 

This is what you have told us....


‘Adult Protection work
is seen as optional and under funded…’

‘Lack of resources particularly for prevention (work) and in addressing the after effects of abuse, and not just in social services.’


‘Our partner agencies
e.g. police and NHS are able to avoid giving it the priority it requires.’

‘No mandatory
obligation to have a designated Adult Protection role with responsibility for the implementation of the policies and procedures upholding Adult Protection.’

‘Policies and guidance
are fine but can be interpreted in a number of different ways - legislation is law and cannot be deviated against.’

 

©2006 Action on Elder Abuse Registered Charity No: 1048397

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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