Issue - meetings

To receive a report from the Executive Director of Health, Housing and Adult Social Care on the Enfield Adult Safeguarding Board Annual Report 2016-17.

(Report No: 62A)

Council is asked to note the progress being made in protecting vulnerable adults in the Borough as set out in the annual report of the Safeguarding Adults Board.                                                               

Please note that this report has been referred on for information from Cabinet at their meeting on 18 October 2017 and has also been considered at the Health and Wellbeing Board. 

Councillor Cazimoglu moved and Councillor Lappage seconded the report of the Executive Director Health, Housing and Adult Social Care presenting the Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report 2016-2017. (Report No: 62A)

NOTED

1.               To note that the Cabinet had considered this report on 18 October 2017 and had recognised the good work that was being done, in partnership with statutory and non-statutory agencies, to keep vulnerable residents safe.  The report had also been considered by the Health and Wellbeing Board, made up of partners from the Clinical Commissioning Group, Healthwatch and the voluntary sector. 

2.               Enfield has over 100 care homes and 60 home care agencies and the Council was committed to the principle that keeping these residents safe was everyone’s business.  It was therefore felt to be very important to raise awareness of the issues across the borough. 

3.               The thanks to everyone involved in this area of work and the emphasis on the importance of training and re-training. 

4.               Appreciation that Modern Slavery was now an area that had been included in the report.

5.               The comments from the Opposition that although there were positives, there were issues highlighted in the report that did need addressing including the 42% of nursing homes that required improvements and the 25% rated inadequate for domiciliary care.  The view that it would have been helpful to have the year on year picture as well as more information about what is being done to address these issues. 

6.               The response that Enfield’s figures were better than other similar authorities.

7.               The view that the penalties available to punish those that ill-treat vulnerable people should be increased and that London Councils should be pressed to ensure that offenders can feel the full force of the law. 

8.               That there were constituents with severe mental health problems in need of support.  However the services available were underfunded and many people had to reach crisis levels before support was forthcoming.  Acknowledgement that there was a long way from parity of esteem between mental health and other health services.   

AGREED to note the progress being made in protecting vulnerable adults in the borough as set out in the annual report of the Safeguarding Adults Board.