Safeguarding Adult Reviews

What is a Safeguarding Adult Review?

Within the Care Act 2014 there is a statutory requirement for Safeguarding Adult Boards (SABs) to undertake Safeguarding Adult Reviews (SARs) - these used to be called serious case reviews.

A SAR is a multi-agency review process for all partner agencies to identify any lessons that can be learned from particularly complex or serious safeguarding adult cases where an adult at risk has died or been seriously injured, and abuse or neglect has been suspected.

The aim of the process is to learn lessons and make improvements, especially in the way we all work together to safeguard adults at risk; it is not to apportion blame to individual people or organisations.

 

The Safeguarding Adult Review Process

The Bury Safeguarding Adults Board must arrange a Safeguarding Adult Review (SAR) when:

• An adult with care and support needs (whether or not those needs are met by the local authority) in the safeguarding adult board’s (SAB) area has died as a result of abuse or neglect, whether known or suspected and there is concern that partner agencies could have worked together more effectively to protect the adult.

Or/and

• An adult with care and support needs (whether or not those needs are met by the local authority) in the SAB’s area has not died, but the SAB knows or suspects the adult has experienced serious* abuse or neglect and there is concern the partner agencies could have worked together more effectively to protect the individual.

Or

• The SAB has discretion to undertake a SAR in other situations where it believes that there will be value in doing so. This may be where a case can provide useful insights into the way organisations are working together to prevent and reduce abuse and neglect of adults, and can include exploring examples of good practice.

Or

• The SAB can also consider conducting a SAR into any incident(s) or case(s) involving adults(s) at risk of abuse or neglect where it is believed to be in the public interest to conduct such a review.
• In the context of SARs, something can be considered serious abuse or neglect where, for example the individual would have been likely to have died but for an intervention, or has suffered permanent harm or had reduced capacity or quality of life (whether because of physical or psychological effects) as a result of the abuse or neglect.

Making a Referral

Professionals should discuss the case with their agency’s designated safeguarding lead/officer to help gather the information for the referral.  

Reviews