Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (BTHFT) strives to work with multiagency partners to keep adults at risk, children, young people and unborns safe. Living in safety is a basic human right. People with vulnerability may need assistance and advocates to ensure their safety and well-being. BTHFT will ensure that there are systems and processes in place to promote the safeguarding and well-being of all patients. In line with the Trust values of we care, we value people, we are one team, all safeguarding activity and plans will be person centred/child focused with the staff recognition of Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.
Provide outstanding care for patients
The Trust has effective executive team oversight of safeguarding business within the Trust for the best interest of the patient, led by the Chief Nurse as the Lead for Safeguarding with clear lines of responsibility. The Trust will ensure that dedicated safeguarding teams are in place and fully staffed. The Board of Directors will receive an annual report and interim updates. There are transparent governance arrangements to provide robust internal challenge. This is assessed as part of the ‘safe’ domain of CQC inspections. In addition BTHFT have comprehensive Safeguarding Children and Adult Procedures, promoted across the Trust.
Deliver our financial plan and key performance targets
The Safeguarding Children and Adult teams are held to account via the Quality and Patient Safety Academy and monitored through the Integrated Safeguarding Committee. Key performance indicators are centred around staff training compliance, safeguarding team partnership meeting attendance and access to safeguarding supervision.
Be in the top 20% of NHS employers
The Trust is committed to ensuring staff are supported in their safeguarding duty. The Trust has up to date safeguarding policies in place to guide staff. These are regularly reviewed. The safeguarding policies are in accordance with the West Yorkshire Safeguarding Children and Adults procedures. All new staff are required to attend a corporate induction programme at the start of their employment which includes mandatory face to face safeguarding training. The Trust has a robust Recruitment and Selection Policy and Employment Checks Policy which fully complies with the NHS Employment Check Standards and DBS checks. There is also a clear Allegation Management Policy.
Be a continually learning organisation
The Trust continues to be committed to developing a culture of learning. The Safeguarding Children and Adults teams provide a training strategy in line with national guidance with designated levels of training for all staff dependent on their role. Training is provided via eLearning and face to face sessions with a varied programme informed by learning from local and national serious case reviews and serious incidents. Regular newsletters are circulated to all staff and further safeguarding information is available to all staff through the Safeguarding Children and Adults webpages on the Trust intranet. There is an audit strategy to enable a measurement of effective activity and to identify gaps in staff knowledge and service provision.
Collaborate effectively with local and regional partners
The Trust is an active partner in Bradford Safeguarding Adults Board and the Bradford Safeguarding Children Partnership, and holds membership on all sub groups. This includes attendance at the Bradford Domestic and Sexual Violence strategic board. BTHFT is committed to working collaboratively with other agencies, and sharing information in a safe and appropriate manner to safeguarding vulnerable patients.