The operational safeguarding function (including financial safeguarding) involves coordination of the safeguarding process. All Safeguarding Adult Concern Forms received by the Safeguarding Adults Team are received centrally and are reviewed by the team in the context of the safeguarding thresholds and the specific situation. In line with Making Safeguarding Personal this includes what the person themselves wants as an outcome – at the stage when a concern is raised, this information should be identified and included by partner agencies. The appropriate process for the circumstances is determined for each Safeguarding Adult Concern including convening and coordinating Strategy Discussions/Strategy Meetings, causing other organisations to make enquiries about an individual in relation to the safeguarding issue (as per the requirements of the Safeguarding section of the Care Act 2014), requesting that providers investigate, and/or advising on other actions or processes.
The role of the Commissioning Team involves quality monitoring of services that the people of Sunderland access. Involvement linked to safeguarding is varied. Where Safeguarding Adult Concerns are linked to the quality of a service, the Local Authority Commissioning Team would contribute to the safeguarding process by:
- investigating service/quality issues
- communication with regulatory bodies
- communication with service providers and the North East & North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (NENC ICB)
Reasons for involvement will consider the need to work in partnership and support services to improve, as well as the role the regulatory body the Care Quality Commission have in respect of regulatory matters.