01 February 2022
Adult safeguarding is the process of protecting an adult’s right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect (NHS England, 2017). High profile abuses such as Winterbourne View and Mid Staffordshire, as well as other cases, have raised the awareness of adult safeguarding, which is everybody’s responsibility. In the community setting, it is paramount that nurses from all specialisms know how to recognise, report and record abuse. The Care Act (2014) recognises ten types of adult abuse and within them there are many forms that these can take (Department of Health and Social Care, 2021). Community nurses should be able to recognise such abuse and its effect on the victim, and know how to record their concerns in a clear, robust manner, ensuring that information is shared between agencies, while also respecting confidentiality. This article provides a brief history of adult safeguarding, an overview of the types of abuse, as well as a definition of the vulnerable adult, how to recognise them, and the statutory bodies and legal frameworks to safeguard adults. Each of the four nations of the UK have their own legislation. This article is concerned with safeguarding in England and the Care Act (2014).
