Safeguarding Adults Procedures

56  Make employees aware of their duty to report any allegations or suspicions of harm to their line manager, or if the line manager is implicated, to another responsible person or to the local authority.  Meet their responsibilities and ensure compliance with the Care Act 2014.  Operates safe recruitment practices and routinely take up and check references.  Adhere to and operate within their own organisation’s ‘whistle-blowing’ policy and support employees who raise concerns. Managers of regulated activity providers must fulfil their legal obligations under the Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 and the Disclosure and Barring Service. Managers have responsibility for making checks on and referring employees and volunteers who have been found to have harmed an adult at risk or put an adult at risk from harm. Managers in health settings should report concerns as a serious incident requiring investigation (SIRI) in line with the NHS safety reporting framework and a decision must be made whether the circumstances meet the criteria for reporting a concern to the Safeguarding Adults Team as required. Human Resource & Disciplinary Actions When a safeguarding allegation has been made in relation to an employee the person raising the concern must follow the safeguarding procedures and inform their line manager and Adult Social Services. The line manager will inform their Human Resource department and follow the disciplinary procedures. If their line manager is the person alleged to have caused harm, they must inform the line manager above their line manager or make direct contact with the local Adult Social Services, who will advise. The person concerned may need to follow the ‘whistle blowing’ procedure of their own organisation. A restricted part of the safeguarding enquiry meeting can determine how to proceed, drawing on the advice of the Human Resources staff. Both HR and safeguarding procedures will need to be followed remembering that priority must always be given to safeguarding the adult at risk and if a criminal investigation is taking place pursuing forensic evidence. BCP and DC have a protocol which provides guidance where allegations are made against their employees. Local Authorities Lead co-ordinating agency for safeguarding Local authorities have the lead role in co-ordinating the multi-agency approach to safeguard adults at risk. This includes assurance of the use of these procedures, co-ordination of activity between organisations, review of practice, facilitation of joint training, dissemination of information and monitoring and review of progress within the local authority area. In addition to that strategic co-ordinating role, local authority adult social care, joint health and social care teams and CMHTs also have responsibility for coordinating the action taken by organisations in response to concerns that an adult at risk is being or is at risk of being harmed or neglected. The local authority must:  Ensure that any Safeguarding Adults concern is acted on consistent with these procedures.  Co-ordinate the actions that relevant organisations take in accordance with their own duties and responsibilities.  Ensure a continued focus on the adult at risk and due consideration to other adults or children.  Ensure that key decisions are made to an agreed timescale.