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Herefordshire Safeguarding Boards and Partnerships

Concerned About an Adult?

Report a concern about adult abuse

If at any time you are concerned that an adult is being abused or harmed, please use these contact details.

To report a concern:

Please complete the safeguarding concern form: HSAB Concern Form

The following document will provide you with advice on how to complete the form: Concern Form Guidance

Not all situations will require reporting to the local authority as a safeguarding concern, for example when the impact on the person is low and you are satisfied that the abuse will not continue and you have taken action.

Please read this document for further information: Concern or Alternative Action.

If you require any advice or have continuing concerns contact the team using the details below:

  • 01432 260715 (Monday to Friday from 9am-5pm)
  • 0330 123 9309 (before 9am, after 5pm, and during weekends and public/bank holidays)
  • Email: Safeguarding@herefordshire.gov.uk

The Advice and Referral Team will  assist in any requests for Care Assessments or Carers Assessments. They can be contacted on 01432 260101

If your concern is about a child or young person, please contact the Multi-agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) on 01432 260800. For more information go to the page Concerned About a Child .

In an emergency

If someone is injured or in immediate danger:

  • Telephone: 999 – police, fire, ambulance

If there is no emergency but you think a crime may have been committed:

  • Telephone: West Mercia Police 101*

*Calls to 101 (from both landlines and mobile networks) cost 15 pence per call, no matter what time of day you call, or how long you are on the phone. The 15p cost of the call goes to the telephony providers to cover the cost of carrying the calls. The police and government receive no money from calls to 101. You can also email the police to inform them of concerns and start a conversation with them at contactus@westmercia.police.uk .

The Care Act defines adult abuse as:

  • Physical abuse – including assault, hitting, slapping, pushing, misuse of medication, restraint or inappropriate physical sanctions
  • Domestic violence – including psychological, physical, sexual, financial and emotional abuse
  • Sexual abuse – including rape, indecent exposure, sexual harassment, inappropriate looking or touching, sexual teasing or innuendo, sexual photography, subjection to pornography or witnessing sexual acts, indecent exposure and sexual assault or sexual acts to which the adult has not consented or was pressured into consenting
  • Psychological abuse – including emotional abuse, threats of harm or abandonment, deprivation of contact, humiliation, blaming, controlling, intimidation, coercion, harassment, verbal abuse, cyber bullying, isolation or unreasonable and unjustified withdrawal of services or supportive networks
  • Financial or material abuse – including theft, fraud, internet scamming, coercion in relation to an adult’s financial affairs or arrangements, including in connection with wills, property, inheritance or financial transactions, or the misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits
  • Modern slavery – including human trafficking, forced labour and domestic servitude.
  • Discriminatory abuse – including forms of harassment, slurs or similar treatment because of race, gender and gender identity, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion
  • Organisational abuse – including neglect and poor care practice within an institution or specific care setting such as a hospital or care home, for example, or in relation to care provided in one’s own home
  • Neglect and acts of omission – including ignoring medical, emotional or physical care needs, failure to provide access to appropriate health, care and support or educational services, the withholding of the necessities of life, such as medication, adequate nutrition and heating
  • Self-neglect – this covers a wide range of behaviour neglecting to care for one’s personal hygiene, health or surroundings and includes behaviour such as hoarding

It is abuse whether or not it is intentional.

If you are concerned about abuse taking place outside the county your first point of contact should still be Herefordshire safeguarding adults team:

  • 01432 260715 (weekdays 9am-5pm)
  • 0330 123 9309 (after 5pm, weekends and public holidays)**

Email: Safeguarding@herefordshire.gov.uk

When you contact the safeguarding adults team with a concern they will:

  • Discuss your concerns with you
  • Give you advice about whether or not this situation needs safeguarding actions
  • Ask you for the information that they need to investigate this as a safeguarding case, using the HSAB Concern Form.

They may ask you to complete the Concern Form, or complete it for you, using your views or concerns.

When it’s not safeguarding

Sometimes another team or agency will be the best one to respond. The safeguarding adults team will decide which team is best able to respond to the needs or concerns that have been identified. They will agree with you whether you or they should make contact.

Making safeguarding personal

In Herefordshire, we want to make sure that everything we do to help you is based on your hopes and aspirations rather than us simply telling you what you need to do. We want you to be in control as much as you can be and want to be. This is our approach and is part of a nationwide change to make safeguarding personal.

If you or someone else rings us because they are concerned for your safety, we will work with you or an advocate (friend, carer or representative) to find out what you need to happen to make you feel safe again.

When you report a concern a member of staff will:

  • Listen to you carefully
  • Take the concerns seriously
  • Find out the wishes of the adult at risk
  • Gather information from those involved in the adult at risk’s care
  • Talk to the police if it is a criminal matter
  • Agree the best way of helping the person to keep safe

Let you know what action has been taken as a result of your call.

There are legislative arrangements in place to protect workers who need reassurance that it is safe for them to raise concerns about abuse taking place in the workplace. Raising a concern of this type is called whistleblowing.

Further information is available in the Whistleblowing-Policy