Safeguarding Adults Reviews

The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Safeguarding Adult Partnership Board (CPSAPB) oversees and leads adult safeguarding across the locality and has a range of statutory duties that contribute to the prevention of abuse and neglect. This includes the duty to conduct any Safeguarding Adult Reviews (SARs) in accordance with part 1, Section 44 of the Care Act. SARs are reviews that examine the way agencies and individuals have acted when they have been involved with an ‘adult at risk’.

What is a Safeguarding Adults Review?

There are three broad circumstances under which the Care Act statutory guidance considers a SAR may take place. The guidance makes a distinction between those circumstances where the SAB must or may arrange a SAR.

The SAB must arrange for there to be a review of a case involving an adult in its area with needs for care and support (whether or not the local authority has been meeting any of those needs) if:

1. There is reasonable cause for concern about the SAB, members of it or other persons with relevant functions worked together to safeguard the adult; and
2. Either
   1. The adult has died and the SAB knows or suspects that the death resulted from abuse or neglect (whether or not it knew about or suspected the abuse or neglect before the adult died; Or
   2. The adult is still alive and the SAB knows or suspects that the adult has experienced serious abuse or neglect

A SAB may also arrange for there to be a review of any other case involving an adult in its area with needs for care and support (whether or not the local authority has been meeting any of those needs). SARs may also be used to explore examples of good practice where this is likely to identify lessons that can be applied to future cases.

It is the responsibility of all partner agencies to make a referral for an Safeguarding Adult Review where there are reasonable grounds to consider the criteria for an Safeguarding Adult Review may be met. Partner agencies should not draw their own conclusions on whether the criteria is met in borderline or unclear cases, but should make a referral to the Safeguarding Adult Review Group.

The Safeguarding Adult Review Group will receive all SAR referrals and consider whether the referral meets the criteria to conduct a review, or whether any other action should be carried out to ensure learning takes place.

IMPORTANT – do not use the SAR Referral form to make a safeguarding adult referral. To make a referral please ring 01733 747474