Safeguarding Adults Reviews: Information for professionals involved in a review

When an adult at risk either dies or suffers serious harm, and when abuse or neglect is thought to have been a factor, Hammersmith and Fulham SAB may need to review what has happened. This is called a Safeguarding Adults Review (SAR).

The main purpose of these reviews is to find out if we can learn anything about the way different organisations worked together to support and protect the person who suffered harm. This could identify barriers, but it could also identify good practice. This learning will help us to make positive changes to the way we work.

It is important that all relevant staff and volunteers are given an opportunity to share their views on the case as appropriate. This should include your views about what could have made a difference for the adult(s) and their family.

We want you to feel able to “tell it like it is”. It is important to note that a SAR is not about apportioning blame and the information you share will be kept in confidence unless there are exceptional circumstances, such as raising concerns about potential risk to adults and children.

We hope that you will feel able to talk openly and reflect on your experiences. This will help us to uncover the real learning and allow improvement to happen.

There are different ways in which a SAR can be done, but they all involve gathering information from services who had involvement with the person at the centre of the review. The review team, led by an independent reviewer who had no involvement in the case, can then try to get a better understanding of what happened, and why.

They will consider whether things could or should have been done differently and ask how things could be done better in the future.

A SAR will often find there have been lots of agencies involved in the person’s life. Sometimes the best way forward is to ask those who were directly involved to share their experience, and you may be invited to take part in either a group discussion or to support with a written report.

The lead reviewer will help to facilitate any discussion in a confidential space and lead on identifying recommendations for future practice.

The findings are then summarised in a report which is usually published and made available to the public.

However, no individuals are named in the report and no information that could to the people involved being identified.

The SAB will then construct an action plan to make sure improvements are made to the way organisations work together to keep adults at risk safe.

Sometimes an individual organisation involved in the review will also write their own action plan which will sit alongside the shared action plan. They will be asked to provide assurance to the SAB that actions are being implemented.

We recognise that the death or serious injury of an adult at risk will have an impact on staff and volunteers, and this impact may be felt beyond the individual staff and volunteers directly involved.

All SAB partner organisations are expected to ensure that staff and volunteers are provided with a safe environment to discuss their feelings and offered support where needed. If you have been involved in a SAR and need more support, please make contact with the SAB Member for your organisation.

If you have other questions you would like to ask, you can speak with the lead reviewer or you can email the Safeguarding Adults Board Manager: Ceri.Gordon@lbhf.gov.uk

Cruse Bereavement Support may also be able to offer additional support.