University of Plymouth host adult safeguarding conference
By Education & Training, , ,

A conference on adult safeguarding in Plymouth has highlighted current issues practitioners and educators face in the field. 

Plymouth University, in partnership with Plymouth City Council and Plymouth Safeguarding Adults Board, hosted the event last Friday, which saw Councillor Ian Tuffin, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care for Plymouth City Council, and Professor Patricia Livsey, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health and Human Sciences at Plymouth University open the conference.

Renowned speakers delivered presentations at the conference on areas including safeguarding adults from abuse and neglect under the Care Act, current guidance in regard to issues of self neglect, safeguarding in health settings, and the debate surrounding the right to intervene in adults’ lives, before opening up the floor to a Q&A session.

Professor Patricia Livsey, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health and Human Sciences at Plymouth University, said: “Adult safeguarding is a complex issue which encompasses a wide range of health and social care needs, and we are continually adapting our courses to ensure they meet the needs of vulnerable adults, and reflect changes in local and national policy. Through those courses and a programme of academic research, we are influencing the carers, health workers and policy makers of the future. We also have a range of support programmes in place, enabling care leavers to achieve their ambitions, and this conference has enabled us to share our expertise and potentially learn new ways of working in the future.”

Councillor Ian Tuffin, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care for Plymouth City Council said: “The safeguarding of vulnerable adults is one of our top priorities as a Council and we are very pleased to jointly host this new conference with both Plymouth University and the Plymouth Safeguarding Adults Board. 

“It is very timely particularly as we now have the new Care Act, and with recent changes to health and adult social care services in Plymouth to make them more integrated. Adult social care staff in Plymouth transferred from the Council to Plymouth Community Healthcare as of 1st April 2015 with the aim of working beyond organisational boundaries to meet people’s health and care needs.”

Speakers at the event included:

  • Rt Hon Sir James Munby, President of the Court of Protection and President of the Family Division who focused on ‘the nature and limits of intervention in adults’ lives.’
  • Renowned author Michael Mandelstam speaking on protecting adults from abuse and neglect, in the context of the new Care Act.
  • David Orr, Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Sussex and Department of Health author discussed ‘self-neglect: evidence base and implications for practice.’
  • Geoff Baines, Director of Professional Practice, Quality and Safety at Plymouth Community Healthcare addressed ‘Safeguarding adults and health.’

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Pictured L-R: Councillor Ian Tuffin, Sir James Munby, Jane Elliot-Tocnic (Adult Safeguarding Manager, Plymouth City Council), Professor Patricia Livsey, Geoff Baines and Michael Mandelstam.