Issue - meetings

To inform the Executive Members of the work of the Adult Protection Committee for City of York and North Yorkshire as set out in its third Annual Report.

 (i)        That the comments on the work of the Adult Protection Committee and the issues highlighted in the report be noted.

Members received a report that informed them of the work of the Adult Protection Committee for City of York and North Yorkshire as set out in its third Annual Report.

Comments were invited on the whole report but the following issues in the Annual Report were highlighted for noting:

·        There was improved data available on the number and type of abuse cases reported for investigation. Across the whole area about 60-70 cases were being investigated per quarter with about 18 of these in the York and Selby area. Abuse was substantiated in just over a quarter of the cases.

·        Physical abuse was suspected in 50% of cases and the vast majority of allegations (86%) concern abuse in the person’s own home or in a residential setting.

·        Across the area as a whole most abuse concerns older people (68%). That proportion was lower in York/Selby but largely due to a high number of reported cases concerning people with learning disabilities in one quarter of 2005 (which may be due to an aggregation of cases being logged at one time).

·        The data enabled the comparison of the area against national and regional benchmarks and as it continued to be refined could be used more to plan preventative work.

·        The APC had been in existence now for over 3 years and it was an appropriate time to take stock. The foundations and building blocks were in place for an effective system but there was a need to strengthen links to other strategic bodies and also consider how adult protection fits within Local Strategic Partnerships (and Local Area Agreements), neighbourhood safety initiatives and the work to improve the general well being of adults set out in the Health and Social Care White Paper – “Our Health, Our Care, Our Say”. The Adult Protection Committee would be starting work this Autumn on working through these issues.

It was reported that information in future reports would be broken down between the York and Selby areas.  It was also suggested that the information should be broken down between the public and private sectors.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for Adult Social Services be advised:

(i)         That the comments on the work of the Adult Protection Committee and the issues highlighted in the report be noted.

Decision of the Executive Member for Adult Social Services

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  In order to improve the Council’s response to vulnerable people affected by abuse.