Vulnerable adults being abused in Wiltshire
A report to the council's 'Health Select Committee' reveals a dramatic increase in the number of incidents where elderly or otherwise vulnerable adults are suffering at the hands of the people who should be caring for them.
The report explains that an alert is, "a feeling of anxiety or worry that a vulnerable adult may have been, is or might be, a victim of abuse. An alert may arise as a result of a disclosure, an incident, or other signs or indicators." Amongst alerts which were investigated there were in the year to April 2013 368 cases where the alleged perpetrator was a social care staff member, 311 of which were residential care staff. This figure represents about two thirds of all investigated incidents and compares with a total figure of 121 such incidents for the previous year.
Investigated incidents where the alleged perpetrator was a partner or family member fell slightly from 137 in 2011/12 to 125 in 2012/13.
The council's Adults Safeguarding Annual Report 2012/13 includes a resolution to consider whether there's a link between the low wages being paid to care professionals and the level of abuse inflicted on their clients.
The Wiltshire Safeguarding Adults Board (WSAB) consists of representatives of WC, CCG, Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Trust, Police, Salisbury, Bath and Swindon hospitals, care providers, Great Western Ambulance, Probation and the Community Safety Partnership. It does not currently include service users or their representatives.
The WSAB report fails to explain the increase in reported incidents, though the experts' suggestion that the figures could be due to changes in methodology or an increase in public awareness, seems to be a way of allowing them to maintain a culture of complacency.
The full report is available here
Be warned that the statistical evidence is poorly presented.
A vulnerable adult is defined as a person who is or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability,age or illness; and who is or may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation in any care setting.