Pictured left to right are Cllr Ben Coleman, Mike Howard, chair of the Safeguarding Adults Board, and Kim Smith, H&F Council's chief executive
Hammersmith & Fulham Council has thanked its partners for their joint work to protect local residents at risk, known as “safeguarding”.
From people living with dementia to those who have learning disabilities and mental health issues or who are suffering domestic abuse, H&F’s safeguarding service aims to make the borough a place for everybody to live safe from abuse and as independently as possible.
To mark the first year of H&F’s new Safeguarding Adults Board, local residents, the NHS, police, fire services, voluntary groups and the council’s adult social care and children’s services came together to celebrate their partnership and explore their next steps.
They heard from experts on mental health law about incorporating H&F Council’s resident-centred approach into safeguarding services. Group discussions looked at self-neglect, hoarding as well as substance and domestic abuse.
“We’re working hard to make H&F the best place for safeguarding in the country,” said Cllr Ben Coleman, H&F Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care.
“We want to ensure that individual residents are kept safe from abuse and can decide for themselves how they’d prefer to be supported.
“Despite huge government cuts to health and social care funding, we’re boosting safeguarding and are still the only local authority in the country not to charge for support at home for older and Disabled people.”
Safeguarding Adults Board chair Mike Howard said: “We’ve come a long way since the board was first formed but we still have much to do to allow residents to live happily and independently.”
Mike – a former senior police officer who has worked on safeguarding boards since 2010 – added, “We’ve created a real partnership with the help of H&F Council that will provide safeguarding which can truly improve the lives of local residents.”
If you are being abused or you suspect that someone is being abused, please tell us. Visit our safeguarding adults page for how.
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