Issue 39 | August 2025
Welcome to the August edition of Pass It On News.
A bi-monthly newsletter bringing you the headlines and new policies, procedures and guidance from your West Sussex Safeguarding Adults Board.
In this newsletter
In June the full Board met in-person for their first quarterly meeting of 2025/26.
18 agencies were represented at the meeting, where members looked at a range of issues relating to adult Safeguarding. Members discussed the impact of the cost of living, and heard a presentation from Carers Support on the specific impact of the cost-of Living on Carers and their families. This was particularly pertinent during Carers Week.
The Board heard a presentation on the work of the Safeguarding Adult Review subgroup, and also a presentation on an upcoming Safeguarding Adults Review. As well as having the opportunity to speak with the independent author of the upcoming Review, members were able to discuss with each other the learning taken from the report. Members also reviewed and discussed the results of the Board's recent Multi-Agency Working Survey and signed off on our Annual Report 2024/25, the latter of which has now been published.
The next meeting of the full Board will take place in September 2025.
|
We are pleased to share that we have now published our 2024/25 annual report, following a good reception at the recent Health and Wellbeing Board.
We will now be moving forward to develop an easy read version of this report, which will be published alongside this report on our website.
Read the report:
|
This review explores the system response and learning following an investigation into reports of organisational abuse and neglect across a large provider of residential and nursing care in West Sussex, during 2016 to 2019.
The provider is no longer in operation and the report explores the changes that have occurred as a result of this learning and identifies priorities for further change locally, regionally and nationally for preventing and responding to organisational abuse.
Access the report and accompanying learning podcast:
|
In October 2024 the West Sussex Safeguarding Adults Board published a Safeguarding Adults Review in respect of Tom. Following his involvement in his Safeguarding Adults Review, Tom attended our conference in October 2024. At the conference, Tom shared his experience of abuse and neglect at the hands of his then-wife and paid carer, as well as his experience of the safeguarding process.
A message from our Board Support Officer:
“I am pleased to share with you an article featuring Tom Somerset-How, which has been developed from an interview held at our Safeguarding Adults Board conference in October 2024. Tom shared his story with courage and clarity, and made a real impact on all of us. The opportunity to read Tom’s story in his own words, within this interview, is extremely powerful.
I’ve had the privilege of working with Tom as part of the Safeguarding Adults Review process, and I can honestly say his openness, transparency, and commitment to change have been admirable. To Tom, I’d like to say a huge thank you for your invaluable contribution to this process, and for always welcoming me with a cup of tea and a friendly smile! Your kindness and warmth throughout this journey has not gone unnoticed.”
Read the article:
We are also pleased to share a new training video developed in partnership between the Safeguarding Adults Board and West Sussex Community Safety and Wellbeing Service which brings to life the key learning. This new resource features Tom talking through his story and highlighting key themes. Tom is keen to help staff understand the crucial role you play in identifying and responding to safeguarding for those experiencing exploitation and abuse.
We encourage all staff across statutory, private and voluntary sectors, including partners in health, education, housing, policing and community services, to watch the video and reflect on how the learning can shape your work.
Watch the video:
Following the conclusion of our multi-agency working survey, we have produced multi-agency meeting guidance.
This two-page guidance covers the benefits of multi-agency working; challenges staff have reported they’ve faced; and top tips for participation in multi-agency meetings.
Read the guide:
|
UPDATED CHAPTER: Organisational abuse
Chapter 2.6.6. of the policy and procedures has been updated to include more information about organisational abuse.
This chapter includes key information about indicators of organisational abuse; risk factors; circumstances leading to enquiries into organisational abuse; and responding to concerns of organisational abuse, including local reporting and response processes in Brighton & Hove, East Sussex, and West Sussex.
Please ensure that you familiarise yourself with the information in this chapter:
NEW CHAPTER: Safeguarding and discriminatory abuse
The Sussex Safeguarding Adults Boards have added a new chapter to the policy and procedures, about safeguarding and discriminatory abuse.
This new chapter includes definitions of discriminatory abuse; steps for effective practice when working with people at risk of, or experiencing, discriminatory abuse; the importance of taking a trauma-informed approach; and information about reporting and responding to discriminatory abuse.
Read the new chapter here:
|
