3 minute read
Safeguarding adults
Advocates can be:
• volunteer or paid advocates; or
• people with specialist knowledge, like doctors, lawyers or solicitors.
East Sussex
East Sussex County Council has a contract with POhWER to provide independent and confidential advocacy services.
You can talk to POhWER advocates in the strictest confidence either by asking your care manager or ward staff for a referral or by contacting POhWER directly: Tel: 0300 456 2370 (charged at local rate). Email: pohwer@pohwer.net Skype: pohwer.advocacy Web: pohwer.net/east-sussex
Brighton & Hove
The Sussex Advocacy Partnership provides a central point of access for all statutory advocacy. Professionals can refer to the central point of access, managed by POhWER, for independent Care Act Advocates, by emailing pohwer@pohwer.net or visiting pohwer.net/brighton-and-hove Alternatively, you can make a self-referral to community advocacy services by contacting the following organisations.
Mind in Brighton and Hove
Advocacy for adults with mental health issues including those affecting older people. Tel: 01273 666950 • Email: info@mindcharity.co.uk Web: mindcharity.co.uk
Mind Out
Advocacy for LGBTQ people with mental health issues. Tel: 01273 234839 • Email: info@mindout.org.uk Web: mindout.org.uk/get-support/advocacy
Speak Out
Advocacy for adults with learning disabilities. Tel: 01273 421921 • Email: info@bhspeakout.org.uk Web: bhspeakout.org.uk
Sussex Interpreting Services
Delivers bilingual advocacy services. Tel: 01273 234016 Web:
sussexinterpreting.org.uk/community-advocacy
If you are concerned that you or someone you know may be being abused, neglected or exploited, you should raise your concerns.
It is important that everyone knows what to look for, and who they can go to for advice and support. Changes in someone’s physical or emotional state, or injuries that cannot be explained, may be a sign of abuse.
The Sussex Safeguarding Adults Boards has arrangements in place to prevent and protect people who may be at risk of, or are experiencing, abuse or neglect. This is set out in the ‘Sussex Safeguarding Adults Policy and Procedures’ at
sussexsafeguardingadults.procedures.org.uk
they are unable to protect themselves against harm or exploitation due to their age, physical or learning disability, mental health needs or other illness.
Other adults who may be at risk of abuse or neglect include people who are:
• unpaid carers;
• homeless;
• experiencing domestic abuse;
• misusing drugs and / or alcohol;
• badly treated and forced to work for little or no pay; or
The abuse may be an isolated incident or happen repeatedly over time. Harm or abuse could be deliberate but could also be the result of poor care. A person may be neglected, persuaded to agree to something against their will or taken advantage of because they do not fully understand the consequences of their choices or actions.
If you think this applies to you, or that another adult is at risk of, or is being abused or neglected, please contact your local Adult Social Care and Health department for advice and support.
Please contact the police if a crime has been committed.
The Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB) in East Sussex and Brighton & Hove has a leaflet called ‘What to do if you think someone is being abused, neglected or exploited’, which is available from Health and Social Care Connector at eastsussexsab.org.uk/
publications/safeguarding-leaflets
In Brighton & Hove, suspected abuse can be reported directly by filling in a safeguarding concern form at brighton-hove.gov.uk/reportadultabuse or by emailing hascsafeguardinghub@brighton-hove.
gov.uk
In East Sussex, suspected abuse can be reported directly by filling in the online concern form at eastsussex.gov.uk/adultsafeguarding or by emailing HSCC@eastsussex.gov.uk
By law, care homes and agencies supplying care workers must carry out rigorous checks on anyone they intend to employ. Care providers and suppliers of care workers must also contact the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) if, in their view, any For more information, advice or to report a safeguarding concern, contact.
East Sussex Health and Social Care Connect
Open 8.00am to 8.00pm, seven days a week, including bank holidays. Tel: 0345 60 80 191 Email: HSCC@eastsussex.gov.uk Text: 07797 878111 Minicom via type talk: 18001 0345 60 80 191 Web: eastsussex.gov.uk/socialcare
Brighton & Hove Adult Social Care Access Point
Tel: 01273 295555 Minicom: 01273 296205 Email:
HASCSafeguardingHub@brighton-hove.gov.uk
Web: brighton-hove.gov.uk/adult-social-care
If you suspect a crime has been committed, contact Sussex Police on 101. In an emergency, you should call 999 for immediate help.
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