Our Trust is committed to the safeguarding and welfare of vulnerable adults and children.  All of our staff have a duty to uphold the values of our Trust and safeguarding is everyone’s business.  Our Director of Nursing and Patient Experience is the Director responsible for Safeguarding.

Safeguarding children and young people

Children have a right to be kept safe from harm, abuse or neglect.

Our Trust’s Child Protection Team, Children’s Nurses and Doctors, work closely with the Children, Schools and Families team in Hertfordshire when concerns about a child’s safety or protection are raised.

Our Trust has a Named Nurse and Named Doctor who lead on issues related to Child Protection.

If you suspect for any reason that a child is being abused or neglected, please contact the following numbers:

• The Police 999
• Children, Schools & Families (including out of hours): 0300 123 4043
• The Child Abuse Investigation Unit can be contacted on: 0845 33 00 222.

This is a specialist team that is a department within the police with Hertfordshire wide responsibility for undertaking child protection investigations.

Our policy for Safeguarding Children

You can find more information about the Safeguarding Children on the Hertfordshire County Council website

Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults

A vulnerable adult is any person aged 18 years or over:

• who is or may be in need of community services because of mental or other illness, disability or age, and
• who is, or may be, unable to take care of themselves against significant harm or serious exploitation.

Abuse is a violation of an individual’s human and civil rights and may consist of a single act or repeated actions. It may be:

• physical
• sexual
• financial
• psychological
• institutional
• may relate to neglect or discrimination.

If you have concerns that a vulnerable adult is being abused contact:

• Adult Social Care (including out of hours): 0300 123 4042
• If there is a danger to life, a risk of injury or a crime is taking place, call the Police by dialing 999.
• If you are concerned about a patient in our hospitals contact the Trust Safeguarding Adults Lead Nurse or a Matron via the Trust switchboard 01438 314333
• Alternatively if you are seeing a public service professional, such as a social worker, community nurse, GP, probation officer or district nurse, you can share your concerns with them. They have responsibilities under the county’s adult protection procedure and can advise you about what to do next.

Our policy for Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults from Abuse

You can find more information about the Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults on the Hertfordshire County Council website