Joint Inspection of adult support and protection services

A Joint Inspection of adult support and protection services in East Renfrewshire has concluded they show major strengths and have benefited people at risk of serious harm.

Inspectors said adults experienced improvements in their circumstances because of "timely, person-centred, and efficient adult support and protection interventions".

And they praised "the overall quality and effectiveness of core adult support and protection processes".

Inspectors looked at two areas, key processes and strategic leadership, and concluded favourably in both.

They said key processes for adult support and protection were "very effective and demonstrated major strengths", which had led to positive outcomes for individuals.

Strategic leadership was "effective with areas for improvement", but inspectors concluded there were "clear strengths supporting positive experiences and outcomes for adults at risk of harm, which collectively outweighed the areas for improvement".

The Joint Inspection of the East Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership took place between January and June 2023, and looked at the records of adults at risk of harm for a two year period, January 2021 to January 2023 - a time when authorities faced the unprecedented and ongoing challenge of service recovery as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Adult support and protection measures help people who are affected by disability, mental disorder, illness, or physical or mental infirmity and are unable to safeguard their own interests.

The inspection was led by the Care Inspectorate in collaboration with Healthcare Improvement Scotland and His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland.

A summary of strengths:

• Adults at risk of harm experienced improvements in their circumstances because of timely, person-centred, and efficient adult support and protection interventions.
• The overall quality and effectiveness of core adult support and protection processes was a key strength for the partnership.
•  Initial inquiries and investigations were highly effective and always determined the correct outcome for adults at risk of harm.
•  Oversight of key processes supported staff and ensured consistent robust decision making for adults at risk of harm.
•  Strategic leadership for adult support and protection was enthusiastic and focused. This supported targeted and meaningful improvements.
•  The adult protection committee offered strong leadership for adult support and protection and offered effective oversight for the delivery of key processes.
• Strategic leaders promoted a culture of learning and continuous improvement which supported the development of adult support and protection services for adults at risk of harm. 
• Health was a strong adult support and protection partner. Health services delivered innovative, early and effective interventions for adults at risk of harm.

Priority areas for improvement are: 

• The partnership should improve the quality of chronologies to ensure they are comprehensive, and inclusive of relevant life events and analysis.
• The involvement of adults at risk of harm and their unpaid carers at a strategic level should be a priority for the partnership.
• Strategic leaders should establish multi-agency quality assurance and self-evaluation of adult support and protection practice including a multi-agency approach to audit of records
• Strategic leaders should build on the existing foundations to ensure the full involvement of all key partners in relevant aspects of adult support and protection practice going forward.

Councillor Katie Pragnell, Convenor for Health and Social Care, said: "I am delighted that the Joint Inspection has found major strengths in our adult support and protection services, and all staff and everyone involved in providing support to adults at risk of harm should be proud of the work they do.

"The findings also give assurance to the public that a very high standard of service and care is being provided to people in society who most need our support at difficult times in their lives.

"But we should never be complacent about the services we provide, and we fully take on board the recommendations for improvements in the inspection report which we will now endeavour to address."

• The full report can be found at Joint inspection of adult support protection in the East Renfrewshire partnership (careinspectorate.com)