A Safeguarding Adult Review (SAR) is a process that is defined in the Care Act (2014). It is a process for all partner agencies to identify the lessons that can be learned from particularly complex or serious Safeguarding Adults case, where an Adult at Risk (vulnerable adult) died or been seriously injured and abuse or neglect has been suspected. The Safeguarding Adult Review panel that is convened for each SAR recommends changes to improve practice and services in the light of these lessons. The aim of the process is to learn lessons and make improvements, rather than blaming individual people or organisations. It relies on a spirit of openness to learning, about what went well, as well as what could be improved.
In accordance with the Care Act (2014), a Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB) must arrange a SAR when an adult in its area dies as a result of abuse or neglect (including self-neglect and self-abuse), whether known or suspected, and there is concern that partner agencies could have worked more effectively to protect the adult.
SAB’s must also arrange a SAR if an adult in its area has not died, but the SAB knows or suspects that the adult has experienced serious abuse or neglect.