Inspectors have found some strengths and identified key weaknesses in adult support and protection processes and leadership in South Ayrshire.
Inspectors from the Care Inspectorate, Healthcare Improvement Scotland and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland carried out a joint inspection of the South Ayrshire Adult Protection Partnership between August and November 2021.
They looked at how effectively the partnership of Police, social work and health professionals ensure adults at risk of harm are safe, protected, and supported.
On this inspection, inspectors identified some strengths in adult support and protection processes.
But they also found important areas of weakness in key processes and strategic leadership for adult support and protection, and listed substantial areas for improvement.
Inspectors found partnership staff contributed to the safety, health, and wellbeing of adults at risk of harm.
Third sector and independent sector providers supported adults at risk of harm towards improved wellbeing, independence, and inclusion.
And the partnership effectively maintained business continuity for adult support and protection during the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, inspectors also found the management of risk for adults at risk of harm through chronologies, risk assessments, and protection plans, required improvement.
Inspectors said social work colleagues should involve police and health professionals in adult protection investigations when required. They also said investigation reports should set out clearly how staff conducted investigations, including interviews with the adult at risk of harm and other parties.
Quality assurance, improvement and audit were minimal for adult support and protection. The partnership should urgently make sure these important activities are further developed, and put appropriate measures in place to closely monitor adult support and protection practice
Adults at risk of harms’ lived experience did not inform the adult protection committee. The partnership should improve in this area.
Peter Macleod, Chief Executive of the Care Inspectorate said: “The Care Inspectorate and our partners Healthcare Improvement Scotland and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland were asked by Scottish Ministers to carry out joint inspections of adult support and protection across Scotland.
“This is a report of our findings for South Ayrshire partnership. It sets out how effectively they make sure adults at risk of harm are safe, protected, and supported.
“While our inspectors found some strengths in the partnerships approach, they found significant areas for improvement in practice and governance of adult support and protection.
“It will be important that an improvement plan under development by the partnership takes into account the findings of this joint inspection and that areas for improvement are progressed without delay.”
You can access the report here.
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