Safeguarding

Everyone has the right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect. The NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) works closely with partner agencies e.g. health professionals, police, local councils and education to help keep adults and children living in our communities safe from harm.

All NHS services and commissioned services have a key role to play in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of unborn babies, children, young people and adults.

Children -There is a statutory duty under Section 11 of the Children’s Act 2004 and in accordance with the Working Together Guidance “Working together to Safeguard Children” (2018) to safeguard the needs of children under the age of 18 years.

Adults - The Care Act 2014 came into force on the 1 April 2015. The Care Act 2014 sets out the legal framework for how providers should protect adults at risk of abuse or neglect.

This page will help you to understand how the Integrated Care Board (ICB) works with its partners in Lancashire and South Cumbria to safeguard adults and children.

Our role in safeguarding is to:

Ensure the organisations we commission to provide health and care services maintain procedures to ensure the safety of people at risk of abuse and neglect
Ensure as a system and along with our place-based partnerships collaborate with the Children’s Safeguarding Assurance Partnerships (CSAPs) and Safeguarding Adults Boards (SABs). We will also work with the Community Safety Partnerships, communities, Advocacy Services, police and crime commissioners and third sector and voluntary organisations to safeguard people in our communities
Secure designated safeguarding professionals as experts and strategic leaders for safeguarding, children in care and the Mental Capacity Act (MCA)
Ensure clear safeguarding accountability and performance management arrangements are in place that will promote continuous improvement
Respond to safeguarding and mental capacity legislation that impacts on health care provision

The ICB executive chief nurse will be accountable for the statutory commissioning assurance functions of NHS safeguarding who is supported by the safeguarding directors, designated professionals and safeguarding teams working across our system and at Place to ensure and promote multiagency partnership working. The organisation will support a “Think Family” population health approach to safeguarding, to prevent harm and promote wellbeing.

If you are a professional needing safeguarding advice or support: