Safeguarding Adult Reviews (SARs)
Introduction
A Safeguarding Adult Review (SAR) is a multi-agency process that considers whether or not serious harm experienced by an adult, or group of adults at risk of abuse or neglect, could have been predicted or prevented. The process identifies learning that enables agencies working with adults at risk to improve services and prevent abuse and neglect in the future.
Under the Care Act 2014 (Section 44), Safeguarding Adults Boards (SABs) are responsible for commissioning SARs. It states that SABs must arrange a SAR when an adult in its area dies as a result of abuse or neglect, whether known or suspected, and there is concern that partner agencies cold have worked together more effectively to protect the adult. Whilst SABs are statutorily required to instigate a SAR if the above criteria has been met, it can also do so in other cases where it identifies that there is significant learning.
The purpose of a SAR is to promote learning and improve practice, not to re-investigate or apportion blame to any individual practitioner or manager, or agency.
Guidance and Resources
Detailed information on the purpose of SARs can be found on the SCIE website. There is specific guidance for Safeguarding Adults Boards (SABs) on their responsibility for carrying out Reviews under the Care Act 2014. To support SABs with undertaking SARs, SCIE and RiPFA have produced a checklist to help support quality assurance of SARs and each SAB has a SAB Champion to refer to.
SAR Report Library
SCIE maintain a national library of published Safeguarding Adult Reviews (SARs). Find out more via the link below:
SARs in Redbridge
Below are links to the Redbridge Safeguarding Adult Board (RSAB) published SAR Reports:
- RSAB SAR ‘JS’ Executive Summary [Final] September 2023 (PDF 191KB)
- RSAB Independent Chair Statement – Response to SAR ‘JS’ – September 2023 (PDF 110KB)
- RSAB SAR Report – Hilary – July 2023 (PDF 459KB)
- RSAB SAR Report ‘Alice’ – April 2021 (PDF 947KB)
- RSAB SAR Report ‘George’ – February 2021 – (PDF 572 KB)
- RSAB SAR Report – Ms ‘A’ – September 2018 (PDF 216KB)
- RSAB SAR Report – Mr ‘B’ – September 2018 (PDF 262KB)
Making a SAR Referral
In Redbridge, the ‘One Panel’ is the multi-agency forum for receipt of referrals for cases that may meet the threshold for a Safeguarding Adult Review (SAR). Further information, including the referral form, is available on the Redbridge ‘One Panel’ page.
If a referral to the Redbridge ‘One Panel’ results in an agreement to commission a Safeguarding Adult Review (SAR), the Redbridge Multi-Agency SAR Protocol provides the necessary guidance.