Safeguarding

NHS Integrated Care Boards (ICB) have a statutory responsibility to make sure that the organisations they commission services from have arrangements in place to effectively safeguard children and adults at risk of abuse and neglect.

Herefordshire and Worcestershire Integrated Care Board (HWICB) is committed to safeguarding the welfare of children, young people, and adults across the organisation. The welfare of our population who come into contact with the services we commission, either directly or indirectly is paramount and all our staff have a responsibility to ensure that practice is robust and complies with statutory requirements. By working closely with the other organisations within Herefordshire and Worcestershire we expect that all of the services commissioned deliver good quality, safe effective care.

HWICB have a clear line of accountability for safeguarding within the ICB.

The HWICB Chief Executive has ultimate accountability for ensuring that the health contribution to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults is discharged effectively across the whole health economy through commissioning arrangements.

The HWICB Chief Nursing Officer is the executive lead for safeguarding and has responsibility for providing leadership and gaining assurance in relation to safeguarding issues within the ICB and across the system.

HWICB employs the expertise of Designated Professionals for children, adults, looked after children. This role is an integral part of the ICB and Integrated Care System (ICS) activity and supports the delivery of the safeguarding children, looked after children, adults and the child death review agenda.

HWICB ensures that all organisations commissioned or contracted to provide services will in the discharge of their functions, have regard to the requirements contained within statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023, the Care Act 2014 as well as Policy and Guidance set out by the Herefordshire Safeguarding Adults Board, Worcestershire Safeguarding Adults Board,  and the Herefordshire Safeguarding Children Partnership, and the Worcestershire Safeguarding Children Partnership

HWICB work closely with our partners to ensure processes are in place to enable us to learn lessons from cases where adults and children die or are seriously harmed.  The vision of the HWICB is to ensure that safeguarding outcomes for those in our care are improved and those who use services commissioned by the HWICB are safe.  To ensure this is achieved every contact children, young people and adults have with the NHS will be with practitioners and providers who have a knowledge and understanding of safeguarding. This is achieved by the procurement of expertise of designated clinical experts in safeguarding with the authority to influence local thinking and practice in the health and care system.