Ministers to require all areas to have safeguarding adults board

The government is to draw up legislation requiring every local area to put in place a Safeguarding Adults Board.

The boards – made up of local authority social services, the police and the NHS – are designed to ensure that vulnerable adults who suffer abuse have quick and easy access to the people who can help.

The government promised a programme of work to support agencies in a bid to ensure all those involved in the care of vulnerable adults have appropriate skills. There will also be a cross-government ministerial group to oversee safeguarding, set priorities, develop new policy and provide national leadership.

Care services minister Phil Hope said: “We are going to make it law that every local area must have a safeguarding adults board to look after the most vulnerable people. Some areas already do this and they do it well, but I want it to be mandatory and effective for everyone.”

The government said the legislation putting the boards on a statutory footing will be drafted “as soon as Parliamentary time allows”.

Paul Farmer, chief executive of leading mental health charity Mind, welcomed the move. He said: “We have seen that when agencies work together with people with mental health problems, they can prevent abuse from occurring and can ensure that justice is done. By giving priority to this issue the government is helping to reduce the risk of abuse.

“Mind has heard many examples where people have been exploited by those tasked with supporting them, such as the woman whose neighbour did her weekly grocery shop but also helped herself to £14,000 of her money and yet her care workers did not notice. We look forward to working with the government to produce new guidance that will better safeguard the rights of people in vulnerable circumstances.”

Kathryn Stone, chief executive of learning disabilities charity Voice UK, added: “Today’s announcement builds on previous measures which include making every independent care home subject to the Human Rights Act and giving the Care Quality Commission tough powers to penalise or close down care providers who offer substandard care.

“The government is also working with the General Social Care Council on a system of registration for home care workers. This will strengthen protection of vulnerable people, raise the quality of care provided and help prevent abuse.”