Safeguarding

Safeguarding Statement

What do we mean by ‘safeguarding’?

Safeguarding means protecting children and adults from harm, abuse and neglect.

The safety and welfare of children and adults at risk of abuse is of paramount importance to NHS Wigan Borough Clinical Commissioning Group (WBCCG). We work closely with other CCGs across Greater Manchester to ensure that all of the services we commission deliver high quality safe effective care.

The principle philosophy is that ‘Safeguarding is everybody’s business’ and all staff, both employed by WBCCG and in the services we commission, will respond and act to raise safeguarding awareness and address any emerging issues.

The following measures ensure that safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk of abuse is given priority and is discharged effectively across the whole local health community through commissioning arrangements:

A key safeguarding partner for safeguarding children with an agreed tripartite Multi-Agency Safeguarding Arrangements (MASA) document (see section below).
Executive level CCG membership of the Wigan Safeguarding Adult Board, which ensures that safeguarding is at the forefront of service planning.
Senior CCG membership on the Health and Wellbeing Board
Close collaboration with Wigan Council to assess and ensure the provision of co-ordinated integrated services to meet the needs of the local population, including specialist services for vulnerable groups.
Ensuring that safeguarding children and adult strategies and associated policies are in place, including safer recruitment arrangements and safeguarding training
Ensuring that Providers of services are held to account through regular review of their safeguarding arrangements through quality scrutiny processes
Designated Nurses and Doctors in post to offer professional expertise and advice regarding Safeguarding Adults, Safeguarding Children and Children Looked After

MULTI-AGENCY SAFEGUARDING ARRANGEMENTS (masa)

The three Safeguarding Partners, namely Wigan Council, Greater Manchester Police and WBCCG have made arrangements to work together with relevant agencies to safeguard and protect the welfare of children in the Borough.

The Tripartite Partners for Safeguarding Children Partners agree on ways to co-ordinate their safeguarding services, act as a strategic leadership group in supporting and engaging others and ensure the local and national learning including from serious child safeguarding incidents is implemented within the Borough.

The lead representatives for Safeguarding Children Partners are defined in the legislation as:

The Local Authority Chief Executive
The Accountable Officer of the CCG
The Chief Officer of Police

We have developed a Multi-Agency Safeguarding Arrangements (MASA) document for the Borough which outlines how we will all work together with relevant agencies (such as schools, GPs and NHS Providers) to safeguard and promote the welfare of children locally.

WSCP Multi Agency Safeguarding Arrangements (MASA)

WBCCG Safeguarding Team Contact Details

Secure Email Address: safeguarding.wbccg@nhs.net
Telephone Number: 01942 481766

WBCCG Safeguarding Annual Report

Please see our latest annual report below:

WBCCG Safeguarding Annual Report 2020-21

WBCCG Safeguarding Policies

WBCCG Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement

Modern Slavery is a term used within the United Kingdom and is defined within the Modern Slavery Act 2015. The Act categorises offences of Slavery, Servitude or Compulsory Labour and Human Trafficking. These crimes include holding a person or persons in a position of slavery, servitude, forced or compulsory labour or facilitating their travel with the intention of exploiting them soon after. Although human trafficking commonly involves an international cross-border element it is also possible to be a victim of slavery or trafficking within your own country. Furthermore, it is also possible to be a victim even if consent has been given to be moved or travel.

With regard to children, it is important to note that they cannot give consent to being exploited and as such, the element of coercion or deception does not necessarily need to be present to prove an offence.

Types of Human Trafficking

Human trafficking is associated with the following categories of exploitation:

Sexual exploitation
Forced labour
Domestic servitude
Organ harvesting
Child related crimes such as child sexual exploitation, forced begging, illegal drug cultivation, organised theft and benefit fraud
Forced marriage

Reporting Crimes of Modern Slavery

In the first instance, the point of contact for all modern slavery crimes should be to the local police force. If you have information about modern slavery crimes, those who are committing such crimes or where victims are at risk that requires an immediate response dial 999.

If you hold information that could lead to the identification, discovery and recovery of victims in the UK please contact the Modern Slavery Helpline on 08000 121 700.

Wigan Borough CCG fully supports the Government’s objectives to eradicate modern slavery and human trafficking.

MULTI-AGENCY SAFEGUARDING TRAINING

HOW TO REPORT A SAFEGUARDING CONCERN

If you are worried that a child or adult has been abused or is at risk of abuse, please do not ignore it.

If they are in immediate harm or in need of emergency medical attention call the emergency services on 999
Otherwise call Adult or Children’s Social Care (see contact numbers below)

Social Care Teams	Contact Number	Out of Hours Contact Number	Electronic Advice and Referral Links
Safeguarding Adults	01942 828777	0161 834 2436	Advice page for reporting concerns regarding abuse or neglect of an adult: https://www.wigan.gov.uk/Resident/Health-Social-Care/Adults/report-abuse-or-neglect-of-a-vulnerable-adult.aspx
Safeguarding Children	01942 828300	0161 834 2436	Advice page for reporting concerns regarding abuse or neglect of a child: http://www.wigan.gov.uk/WSCB/Report-it.aspx