This page contains information to help support colleagues working in primary care with their safeguarding adult responsibilities.

Do check that any safeguarding adult posters or leaflets that you have on display / available are the most up to date - you can see what we have available here, and just let us know if you want us to send you anything.

Raising a safeguarding concern to adult social care

Referring a safeguarding concern about an adult to social care is done increasingly online as well as by phone, but you may not be quite sure which route to take - this quick guide is designed to help that navigation.

Written by the NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board Named GP (Designated All-Age Safeguarding team) Dr Karretti, you can find it here:

Quick guide to adult social care safeguarding reporting

Holding practice safeguarding meetings

FutureNHS has published guidance on "What makes a good practice meeting for adults at risk?" for primary care colleagues.

You can download a pdf version here. 

Support for carers in primary care

A carer is a person of any age, adult or child, who provides unpaid support to a partner, child, relative or friend who couldn't manage to live independently or whose health or wellbeing would deteriorate without this help. This could be due to frailty, disability or serious health condition, mental ill health or substance misuse.

Did you know that 1.2 million carers spend over 50 hours caring for others?  This equates to a full time workforce larger than the entire NHS. Carers are estimated to save the UK economy £119 billion a year in care costs, more than the entire NHS budget and equivalent to £18,473 per year for every carer in the UK.

The RCGP provides a range of resources to help GPs and primary healthcare staff in their support of people with caring responsibilities.

The charity carersmatter.org offers free carer awareness training for practice staff. Please contact Kerrie Campbell, community engagement manager at Carers Matter Norfolk ([email protected])

carersmatternorfolk.org.uk/ :  any unpaid carer can self-refer, or a health/social care professional on behalf of a carer can refer to Carers Matter Norfolk for information/advice and signposting and carers assessments - either via the form on the website or call the advice line 0800 0831148

caringtogether.org/professionals/carer-friendly-tick-award  for more details about the Carer Friendly Tick Award for healthcare settings.

Supporting homeless people to register with a GP practice

The charity Groundswell works with people who experience homelessness, offering opportunities to contribute to society and create solutions to homelessness.  People who experience homelessness are entitled to register at a GP surgery.  They do not need a fixed address or identification.  Groundswell have produced “My right to healthcare cards” to empower individuals to register at a GP surgery.

Please view a helpful video demonstrating use of the card.  Please consider raising awareness of this campaign in particular amongst your reception staff who are often the first point of contact for patients.

Domestic Abuse Champions

Does your GP surgery have a domestic abuse champion?  Free training available!

Domestic violence is an abuse of human rights and a major public health problem because of the long term consequences for people who have experienced it.  The RCGP advises that many people experiencing abuse believe that their GP can be trusted with disclosure and GPs can offer practical support to protect people who disclose abuse.

Domestic abuse champions are trained to develop knowledge on asking, responding, and supporting people affected by domestic abuse, and to use their knowledge to help their colleagues to respond effectively and appropriately.  The champion may be a GP but equally would suit a practice nurse or receptionist who has direct contact with patients.

Training is delivered over two full days.  Training is free although a charge is made if delegates fail to attend without notice.

Norfolk practices: if you or one of your staff are interested in registering on the free training please complete the form and return it to [email protected]

Waveney practices: information on the DA Champions Training can be found on Suffolk CPD Online by following the link below and searching ‘Domestic Abuse Champions’

Development Opportunities | Suffolk Multi Agency CPD Online (suffolkcpd.co.uk)

In addition the team are able to offer bespoke training for the practice-please contact Teri Cudby via email for more information:  [email protected]

Change Grow Live alcohol and drug advisory service: information for professionals

There is information and an online webchat service available for professionals via this link:

changegrowlive.org/advice-info/alcohol-drugs/drugs-advice-for-professionals

Referrals can be made by patients and professionals online via:

changegrowlive.org/alcohol-drug-behaviour-change-norfolk/referrals

Referrals in Norfolk can also be made by email to: [email protected] 

The main number for all of Norfolk is 01603 514096 and we have an out of hours service available by the same number.

• Press option 1 to speak to our Norwich, Central and North Norfolk team
• Press option 2 to speak to our Thetford & South Norfolk team    
• Press option 3 to speak to our Great Yarmouth & East Norfolk team
• Press option 4 to speak to our King’s Lynn & West Norfolk team

Mental Capacity 

Health Education England Level 3 Adult Safeguarding Training module on Mental Capacity for the e-learningforhealth platform. 

Guidance on carrying out and recording capacity assessments | 39 Essex Chambers (Nov 2021)

This purpose of this document is to provide for social workers and those working in front-line clinical settings an overview of the law and principles relating to the assessment of capacity. Its focus is on:

• how to apply the MCA 2005 principles when assessing capacity; and
• how to record assessments, primarily in the context of health and welfare decisions

NSAB publicity material for PIP screens (MP4 and JPEG)

Please contact [email protected]