A joint inspection of adult support and protection measures in the East Lothian area has found clear strengths in ensuring adults at risk of harm are safe, protected and supported.
Over the past four months, a joint inspection of adult support and protection measures in the East Lothian area has found clear strengths in ensuring adults at risk of harm are safe, protected and supported.
At the request of Scottish Ministers, the Care Inspectorate Scotland leads joint inspections of adult support and protection across the country on a routine basis in collaboration with Healthcare Improvement Scotland and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland.
The inspections aim to provide timely national assurance about individual local partnership areas’ effective operations of adult support and protection key processes, and leadership for adult support and protection.
East Lothian’s inspection took place between February to June 2023, and involved colleagues across East Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership agencies and Police Scotland.
The final inspection report was published on 20 June 2023 on the Care Inspectorate’s website.
Overall, the inspectors found that the partnership’s approach to adult support and protection inquiries was ‘robust’, and noted it was ‘evident the partnership was on a positive improvement journey’ with much of its considerable progress have been already ongoing or planned.
It highlighted that the ‘partnership response to referrals and inquiries was very effective’ and that ‘person-centred practice was strong in this partnership’, with ‘good examples of sensitive, trauma informed practice in effectively engaging with adults at risk of harm and their unpaid carers’.
Furthermore, it noted effective social work management, support and supervision was consistently recorded and contributed to the effective delivery of key processes.
As well as a scrutiny of social work, health, and police records of adults at risk of harm, the inspectors also issued a staff survey and conducted staff focus groups to discuss adult support and protection practices of adults at risk of harm. The final report reflected that the partnership’s vision was well understood, and there was synergy between the public protection committee and critical services oversight groups.
The report also praised the East Lothian response to the pandemic and its ability to ensure the continued delivery of adult support and protection services and provided good support to practitioners.
Overall, inspectors found the adult support and protection improvements were positively impacting on key areas of practice.
As expected, the report also highlighted areas for improvement. This included ensuring appropriate procedural guidance is kept up to date and effectively disseminated to staff. The report also suggested that taking a multi-agency approach, involving frontline practitioners to complete the audit would strengthen joint improvement work.
Jackie Irvine, Chief Executive of the Care Inspectorate said: “We are pleased to see clear strengths in the partnership’s approach to adult support and protection which is helping to ensure adults at risk of harm are safe, protected and supported. The report also reported on areas for improvement which would further strengthen its works in this important area.”
Fiona Wilson, Chief Officer of East Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership comments, “We are really pleased with the outcome of the adult support and protection support inspection report, and the assurance it provides in knowing we have robust practices in place to support adults at risk. Our thanks go to the inspection team for their thorough assessment, and to our colleagues and partners across the Partnership, Public Protection Office and Police Scotland for their contribution and collaboration throughout this process.
Our team are now eagerly identifying ways to implement the inspection reports recommendations, to strengthen the policies and procedures in place; increase opportunities for people with lived experience to provide feedback; and develop opportunities to take a multi-agency approach to support adults at risk and provide interventions for alleged perpetrators.”