NSAB chair responds to CQC's Norfolk Adult Social Services report
Responding to the CQC inspection report for Norfolk Adult Social Services (published 12 December 2025), Natalie Cowland, independent chair for Norfolk Safeguarding Adults Board, commented:
"As chair of the Norfolk Safeguarding Adults Board, I understand that residents of Norfolk will be concerned about the findings of the recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection in relation to Norfolk Adult Social Services. I am confident that under the new leadership team led by Ian Wake, the department will continue to push forward with the transformation programme of Adult Social Services, which had been put in place prior to the CQC inspection, to drive improvements in practice and outcomes for people. As an independent board, we will continue to seek assurance and updates from Adult Social Services about how they are addressing the areas highlighted by CQC."
Norfolk Safeguarding Adults Board has lots of resources to support their partners with adult safeguarding, and include:
- In collaboration with Adult Social Services and health agencies created and promoted a safeguarding concerns framework to support health and social care providers to understand what might constitute a safeguarding issue or quality concern. NSAB positively encourages other organisations and services to use the framework document.
- NSAB page includes information on what constitutes a safeguarding concern, an overview on what to expect in terms of feedback, a checklist when raising a concern, frequently asked questions
- There is a dedicated page on Making Safeguarding Personal
- Discussions, group work in Locality Safeguarding Adults Partnerships and other forums to help partners understand what is and is not a safeguarding issue, when and what they may get in terms of feedback and to understand how high volumes of concerns that relate to safety, quality or adults who do not have care and support needs can delay responses to need as well as feedback. LSAPs are open to all partner agencies. For more information follow this link
In addition to the resources outlined above, NSAB is also collaborating with Adult Social Services on the following:
- Adult Social Services has been updating NSAB regularly in relation to feedback, work on the independent review recommendations, Making Safeguarding Personal and the most recent portal work (NSAB is represented on the working group ensuring the wider partnership is represented at that level). Testing of an improved portal form in the new year will include partners who use it regularly.
- NSAB's deputy board manager, Becky Booth, supports development of Adult Social Services Organisation Wide Learning briefings which regularly include reference to the importance of feedback, timely responses, Making Safeguarding Personal, advocacy and the needs of carers.
- In early December 2025, NSAB gave a presentation to care providers on adult safeguarding and the concerns framework.
- A senior representative from Adult Social Services will be presenting the CQC inspection report at NSAB's January 2026 board meeting to give assurance on next steps.
Published