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Making Safeguarding Personal

Making Safeguarding Personal is an initiative applicable to all agencies, which aims to develop a person centred and outcomes focus
to safeguarding in supporting people to improve or resolve their circumstances.
Across Tees the Board continues to seek assurances that the principles of MSP are embedded within partner agency organisations.

Mary is a 94 year old lady who was admitted to hospital due to ill health, Mary disclosed to medical staff how three months prior, her
two friends who had a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) for finances had been stealing money from her. This amounted to thousands
of pounds, along with other items of Mary’s property. Mary advised that she did not want to cause a fuss, but advised that she did
however feel intimidated by her friends. Police were contacted, and staff completed a safeguarding concern with Mary’s consent in line
with Making Safeguarding Personal (MSP). Mary reported that she required support in communicating
to her friends that she did not want them to have control of her finances. The Police investigation
proceeded, and the safeguarding procedures facilitated a solicitor for Mary. Mary was assessed as
having the requisite capacity and was supported in changing her LPA for finance.

Lilly is an 88 year old lady who lives alone in a local housing association property. A safeguarding concern was submitted in respect
of her being a victim of anti-social behaviour from local youths. A social worker from the Adult Safeguarding Team visited Lilly and
spoke directly with her about the concerns and how she was made to feel. Lilly stated that she was scared and felt like a prisoner in
her own home. She was not able to sleep and her health was also being impacted. She told the social worker she just wanted to feel
safe in her own home again. The social worker liaised with police, however due to a lack of evidence they were unable to progress
with a criminal investigation. The Crime Prevention Team were able to implement protective measures. However it was identified that to
fully secure the property a fence would need to be erected and a crown of trees where local youths gathered needed to be cut down.
Through ongoing persistence and following a sit down meeting with the housing provider, a Protection Plan
was agreed and the recommended actions were authorised to be completed. In terms of safeguarding
outcomes, this immediately made Lilly feel safer in her own home.

Between August and December 2019, Healthwatch Stockton-On-Tees carried out ‘Enter and View’ visits to 28 care homes for older
people across the borough. We wanted to find out what it was like to live in a care home, and during the course of our visits we
listened to the voice of the adult and received feedback from 148 residents, 123 relatives/friends of residents and 174 staff members.
Feedback in some areas was largely very positive, however there were also a number of issues raised where standards needed to be
improved. A number of recommendations were made, and Providers were given a timeframe in which to respond to these. Copies of
the final report were circulated to strategic leaders, commissioners and Healthwatch England.
We will be presenting an overview of our findings to a scrutiny review of care homes by the
Adult Social Care and Health Select Committee in October 2019.

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