National Safeguarding Week 2023

14 November 2023

Commencing Monday 13th November to Friday 17th November, National Safeguarding Week is designed to promote visibility and awareness of key safeguarding issues, to encourage conversations and share safeguarding best practices. It is also an opportunity to prioritise the welfare and wellbeing of yourself and others around you. 

Wellbeing can refer to both physical and mental health, relationships, community connections and personal contribution to society. If someone’s wellbeing is suffering, they may think or take adverse action(s) which can put themselves or others at risk or they may not have the mental capacity to think or make informed decisions independently.  

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board has a dedicated safeguarding team which work closely with colleagues from across the Health and Social care system, National Probation Service, South Wales Police and Local Authorities. Together they form a partnership referred to as the Regional Safeguarding Board; which was created to quality assure the protection and quality care of children and adults who are considered ‘vulnerable’ or ‘at risk’.

Here to explain more is some of the Safeguarding Team:

The concept of ‘wellbeing’ is deep rooted in UK legislation which govern the standardisation of health and social care including: 

• Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014
• Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015
• Mental Health Capacity Act 2005

‘Being able to live free from abuse and neglect is a key element of wellbeing’. Signs of abuse can often be difficult to detect and can include: 

•    Physical abuse
•    Domestic violence or abuse
•    Sexual abuse
•    Psychological or emotional abuse
•    Financial or material abuse
•    Modern slavery
•    Discriminatory abuse
•    Organisational or institutional abuse

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, regardless of occupation, seniority or status. To safeguarding our patients and staff, all employees of Cardiff and Vale University Health Board are required to complete mandatory training and depending on the type of role, some colleagues may be requested to attend enhanced safeguarding training such as UHB Level 3 training encompassing specific safeguarding topics.

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board operates a ‘Freedom to Speak Up policy’ for colleagues to raise concerns regarding the safety and wellbeing of patients, service users and staff . A concern is simply a belief that something is not right.

The Freedom to Speak Up initiative was started as a means to create an environment that enables and empowers staff to raise concerns they might have or observe in their area of work and to notify the relevant body or authority with the knowledge that action will be taken as a result.