A joint inspection of adult support and protection measures in the Shetland Islands has found clear strengths in ensuring adults at risk of harm are safe, protected and supported. However, inspectors also identified areas which could further improve.

Inspectors noted that adults at risk of harm nearly always experienced improvements to their safety, health, and wellbeing. This was due to effective multi-agency working and interventions from partner agencies.

The partnership had strong investigation and case conference processes which led to improved outcomes for adults at risk of harm.

Processes for addressing financial harm were effective and resulted in positive outcomes. The strategic leadership team promoted audit activity to identify key priorities for adult support and protection performance and improvement activity.

The report suggests a number of areas that could further improve. It recommends that the Shetland public protection committee’s vision and strategic business plan be updated and more focussed on adult support and protection.

It also recommends that the duty to inquire processes should be improved as these were applied and recorded inconsistently. The partnership should take steps to improve in this area.

Jackie Irvine, Chief Executive of the Care Inspectorate, said: "The Care Inspectorate and our scrutiny partners concluded that key processes and leadership for adult support and protection in the Shetland Islands were effective with areas for improvement. There were clear strengths supporting positive experiences and outcomes for adults at risk of harm which collectively outweighed the areas for improvement.

“The Shetland Islands adult protection partnership will prepare an improvement plan. This will set out how it plans to deliver the required improvements to adult support and protection. The Care Inspectorate and our scrutiny partners will monitor progress in delivering this.”

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Notes to editors

The full report can be read here.