Response to launch of Department of Health ‘National Policy Framework for Adult Safeguarding in the Health and Social Care Sector’, 9.12.25
An independent National Authority remains optimum structure for Adult Safeguarding
Safeguarding Ireland has today welcomed this week’s publication of a new Policy Framework for Adult Safeguarding in the health and social care sector.
The Policy was launched yesterday by the Department of Health and includes a significant range of important developments with potential to reduce adult abuse, and improve safeguarding across services and organisations.
Safeguarding Ireland Chairperson Patricia Rickard-Clarke commended the new health and social care policy in particular that:
- the Policy will apply to health and social care providers across all sectors – public, private and voluntary
- it includes improvements in cooperation and information sharing between organisations providing services to at risk adults
- it will extend HIQA’s remit to include oversight and monitoring of the HSE’s safeguarding services
- the National Independent Review Panel (NIRP) which has responsibility to review serious safeguarding incidents to be placed on a statutory footing.
Ms Rickard-Clarke said Safeguarding Ireland will review the policy in detail and will make a full response statement in the New Year.
She noted commitment in the Policy to the HSE developing a plan for its implementation within six months and that this work would begin immediately. She stressed the core importance of resourcing implementation of the Policy.
“We have seen so many times reports published and years later little progress made. This cannot happen in this case. This is a major body of work requiring a significant amount of human and financial resource and strong project and change management skills.
“There are a lot of different bodies and agencies affected, enactment of legislation is required, changes to service delivery, staff training and new pathways for information sharing across services. There will also be an ongoing requirement for monitoring and enforcement of the policy.
“We will need to see in the HSE’s implementation plan evidence that this scale of work can be met in a timely manner. The view of Safeguarding Ireland remains that the optimum approach is the establishment of an independent national safeguarding authority.
“This policy has come short of this. There remain significant financial, social protection, justice, reporting and legislative elements to adult safeguarding which are not encompassed in this policy.
“However, Safeguarding Ireland acknowledges significant potential in this Policy Framework and will work with the Department and all parties to support its progress, implementation and evolution.
“Our ongoing commitment must be to reducing adult abuse and the rights of all citizens being upheld. There is a lot of structural and cultural change needed, and this will require leadership and resource from Government.”
The new Policy Framework can be viewed here: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-health/publications/national-policy-framework-for-adult-safeguarding-in-the-health-and-social-care-sector/
Further Information
Ronan Cavanagh, Cavanagh Communications: (086) 317 9731.
Safeguarding Ireland promotes safeguarding of adults to protect them from all forms of abuse by persons, organisations and institutions and to deliver a national plan for promoting their welfare.
Safeguarding means putting measures in place to uphold our rights, to support our health and wellbeing, to reduce our risk of harm – and to empower us to protect ourselves. Safeguarding involves ourselves, our families, services and professionals all working together to prevent and respond to adult abuse, neglect or coercive control.
