20/05/2010

Patients, visitors and staff will be able to find out how Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is safeguarding adults and children at a Trust-wide Safeguarding Launch Event at 10am on Monday 24th May 2010 at the New Oncology Outpatients area at CGH.

This launches a programme of events aimed at raising awareness of safeguarding; each event will highlight a different safeguarding topic. On the 24th there will be display stands at both hospital sites; these will raise awareness of safeguarding with staff patients and visitors to the hospitals.

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHSFT has a duty of care to protect and safeguard adults and children and we work with a range of organisations across Gloucestershire to do this. All relevant agencies work together to ensure a coherent policy for the protection of vulnerable adults at risk of abuse. The Safeguarding Adults Board oversees this process.

The event launches the Trust’s updated Safeguarding Adults policy, which gives guidance within practice about safeguarding vulnerable adults and safeguarding in connection with a domestic abuse concern. There will also be information about the Trust Safeguarding Log, Safeguarding Children and the Trust Dementia Strategy. Key teams being represented on the day are our Patient and Public Involvement Team, the Hospital Learning Disabilities Liaison Nurse Team, the Mental Health Liaison Nurse Team and the Learning and Development Team.

The day is also due to provide an opportunity to strengthen partnership working with county partners involved in key areas of safeguarding. A selection of key Organisations being represented include, The Alzheimer’s Society, The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguarding Team (DoLS), Gloucestershire Safeguarding Adults Unit and The Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy Service (IMCA).

Mrs Maggie Arnold, Nursing and Midwifery Director and Trust Nominated Director for Safeguarding:” We are committed to partnership working as part of all County Multi-agency Safeguarding arrangements and procedures, both for adults and for children. A review and update of our Safeguarding Adult Policy was completed in April 2010.”

For more information, please contact: Kate Jeal, Communications Specialist on 08454 223120 or Kate.Jeal@glos.nhs.uk