Agenda item

To receive Safeguarding Enfield Annual Report 2020/21 update – including Safeguarding Concern figures and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards information

Cllr Alev Cazimoglu (Cabinet Member for Health & Social Care) introduced the Safeguarding Report. The Council is required by law to publish this report and is a partnership report with our service users, tackling safeguarding issues in the community, especially during this difficult year.  The Chair thanked Sharon Burgess and her team personally for the exceptional work they have undertaken to produce this document. The report is in draft form and comments are welcomed before being heard at Cabinet and then Council in November.

The following comments were received:

1. Sharon Burgess (Head of Safeguarding Adults & Quality) thanked everyone for their feedback, advising that scrutiny feedback was vital to the report and the safeguarding partnership is a strong group.

2.  , The North Middlesex Hospital have secured a safeguarding team, which has ensured that safeguarding has had a high priority for our health colleagues throughout the pandemic.

 The Modern Slavery Team have had y 120 referrals. There are no patterns emerging and there is a close working relationship between the police and emergency services, The Modern slavery team support the police in providing information on crimjnals and offer support to victims were required. All individual cases of Modern Slavery are referred into our MASH teams for children and adults. The Modern Slavery team has existed for 2 years now and improvements are being seen, the up to date report can be viewed on our website. Enfield are the first to have a Modern Slavery team in the Country. Sharon Burgess chairs the Pan London Modern Slavery team.   It is an evolving area, but more understanding is needed.

3.  Figures from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) showed an increase of registrations (without inspections) for 2020-2021 of 27% compared to 14% the year before.  This was probably due to reduced inspections because of the pandemic but are now recommencing.

4. All care homes that have a listing of requires improvement are now being supported and preventative measures are being put in place to help those to put in place required improvements. There is list of providers that are high risk which is shared on a reqular basis with the Cabinet Member, although CQC are currently changing the way they inspect care providers, which will focus more on having a quicker turnaround for reports and more engagement with residents, friends and family

5.  The total number of safeguarding adult referrals in 2020-2021 for Enfield are high compared to our neighbouring Boroughs. The BEH MHT data is more focussed on forensic wards on their patch and the forensic unit is based in Enfield although many do not live in the borough.

6.  Enfield now have an infection control worker for the last 8/9 months has responded to outbreaks of Covid in the care homes. She provides assessments and visits to control and support the care homes. The care homes also have robust controls of the management of infections.   Infection control grants have helped to get situations under control and staff infected were not allowed back into the care homes in Enfield.

7.  The government have introduced a requirement that all care home staff will need to be double vaccinated by the 11^th November. This includes district nurses, social workers and technicians.  The deadline for the first vaccine is the 16^th September 2021.  After this date they will not be legally allowed back into the care homes without being vaccinated.  Disciplines, dismissals, evoked registrations and financial fines will commence.

There are many staff who are worried about the implications of the vaccine to future fertility issues etc.  Staff have been spoken to and advice given but further guidance has been received in the last few days and letters will be going out to further advise on the process. GP’s will also be going into the care homes to speak to staff.  There will be the chance to apply for other jobs within the authority if they do not want to be vaccinated.

8.  There is an increase of alerts coming from hospitals and professional referrals through the Adults MASH.

9. The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards are working well in Enfield. There are no waiting lists in care homes and all staff are aware of these safeguards. We are preparing the introduction of Liberty Protection Safeguards which will replace the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards in 2022.

In conclusion it was noted that the work completed so far in the report written by Bharat Ayer was commended and the reassurances given welcomed.  There is significant progress made this year with increased resilience built into the service.  The report was agreed.