We make sure that health and care services are promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and protecting them from the risk of harm, abuse or neglect.
What safeguarding means in practice
- The ICB must keep a strong and clear focus on safeguarding at all times.
- The ICB must work closely with partners, such as local councils, health services, and the Families First Partnership Programme, to keep people safe.
- Safeguarding should be part of everyday work, including planning services, buying services, and checking how well services are performing. It should not be treated as a separate task.
- Leaders must have good oversight, meaning they know what is happening and can act quickly if something is not right.
Why this matters
Embedding safeguarding across all areas of work helps make sure that:
- risks are spotted early
- people get the right help at the right time
- services stay safe, effective, and accountable