The role of the general practice surgery in safeguarding adults

Abstract

Purpose

First, the authors summarise arrangements expected from general practice (GP) surgeries, to optimize their safeguarding adults role. Second, using case-based discussions, the authors present specific safeguarding pathways (through which the authors have produced a downloadable interactive app) that the authors have developed to help Derbyshire GPs respond appropriately to safeguarding adults concerns. Third, the authors present the Derbyshire clinical commissioning Groups’ (CCG) approach to seeking assurance from their GPs that they have effective safeguarding adults arrangements in place. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors have based the paper on relevant current UK legislation and national guidance, the local approach to seeking assurance from GP surgeries; the authors adjusted the pathways on the basis of feedback received from eight out of 103 (7.76 per cent response rate) Derbyshire GP safeguarding leads who responded to an e-mail containing draft pathways.

Findings

Primary care staff are ideally placed to identify safeguarding adults issues and to act to protect those who are at risk of abuse or neglect.

Originality/value

The authors are unaware of any other paper that does all of the following: summarises policies GP surgeries should implement regarding safeguarding adults; details core competencies required of GPs regarding safeguarding adults; presents how CCGs can seek assurance from GP surgeries regarding safeguarding adults; and presents straightforward pathways for specific safeguarding adults scenarios. In one paper, now published in the British Journal of General Practice, the authors presented a generic safeguarding adults pathway.

Citation

Gibson, J.C., Nicol, B., Ronayne, E. and Grant, M. (2016), "The role of the general practice surgery in safeguarding adults", The Journal of Adult Protection, Vol. 18 No. 5, pp. 288-298. https://doi.org/10.1108/JAP-04-2016-0006