Email your comments

It is estimated that there are 342,400 incidents of mistreatment of vulnerable adults in the UK each year(1). The taboo surrounding the issue of abuse remains uncomfortable for many and is often of little interest and unrecognised amongst professionals. The reality of 21st century healthcare means that for older people are being cared for across adult specialities within hospitals, Care Homes and communities.  All of us will have experienced patients admitted to our care who have been subject to abuse be it financial, physical, psychological or sexual.

The issue is compounded by a lack of agreed definition which means that it is often not easily recognised, without a shared and common agreed definition it is difficult to identify and action. This is compounded by the ageist “what do you expect” attitudes towards carer burden both professional and unpaid. Prevalence is in truth unknown and without a push to the top of the agenda both politically and locally in practice it will remain an uncomfortable subject and not seek the redress it rightly deserves.  Abuse of vulnerable adults remains a poor relation to the proactive high profile legal framework for child protection and that is why the DH are currently consulting on a revision of No Secrets Guidance produced in 2001 for England which offers a framework for the protection of vulnerable adults.

The broad definition set out in the guidance states that a vulnerable adult is:‘a person who is or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness’, and ‘who is or may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation’.

No Secrets also defined abuse as ‘a violation of an individual’s human and civil rights by any other person or persons’.

Since No Secrets was published, there have been some significant legal and policy changes relating to adult health and social care, such as the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, and Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006. There has also been greater emphasis on increased access to criminal justice for everyone. The Department of Community and Local Government (CLG), promotes partnerships and working together so that more people are able to take an active role in the decisions that, affect their community. The practical application of these policy changes has created a series of challenges for both health and social care staff working in frontline services and there needs to be a greater understanding of the impact of these changes on staff in other organisations such the independent and voluntary sector.

The review of No Secrets aims to engage with a whole range of people from all statutory and non-statutory organisations involved in planning, developing and delivering care. The consultation also aims to engage with older people, people with a learning difficulty, people with mental health difficulties, younger people with physical disabilities, people from minority groups and those who find services difficult to access. We are also keen to engage with people that deliver care to vulnerable people to gain their views on the issues raised.

Active engagement in this consultation is sought if we are to really make an impact on the many thousands of vulnerable adults who are facing abuse every day.  
       
We want you to tell us what you think. You may download your copy of the document.

Anna Morgan, National Programme Manager No Secrets DH
Deborah Sturdy, Nurse Advisor Older People DH

1 UK Survey of abuse & neglect of older people- prevalence survey report. DH  

BGS Newsletter, Dec 2008
Issue 19 ISSN 1748-6343 19