Assessments, Safeguarding, Referrals,Ombudsman Complaints & Data Handling
Received: 28 May 2025
1. Care Act Assessments & Duty of Care Responsibilities1.What is the required procedure and statutory timeframe for conducting a Care Act Assessment if:oHealth professionals (e.g., GPs, NHS specialists, social workers) provide evidence of a resident's vulnerabilities?oVulnerabilities are disclosed by residents themselves?oA Care Act Assessment is refused by the applicant despite health professionals raising concerns?(If no specific policy exists, provide the expected procedure and timeframe that should apply.)2.Under what statutory duty does Barnet Council override or fail to override a refusal of a Care Act Assessment when safeguarding risks are raised by health professionals?3.Provide copies of all internal policies, procedures, or legal guidance Barnet Council follows when handling Care Act Assessment refusals despite documented safeguarding risks.oSpecifically reference relevant sections in any documents provided.4.How many Care Act Assessments were formally offered and recorded for residents in Barnet between January 2024 and March 2025?5.How does Barnet Council formally record the offer and outcome of a Care Act Assessment, and what evidence is required to prove it was offered?________________________________________2. Safeguarding & Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) Referrals6.What is the recorded average and the official required timeframe between a safeguarding concern being raised with Barnet Council and its formal referral to Social Services or MASH?(If no formal timeframe exists, provide the expected procedure and timeframe that should apply.)7.How many safeguarding concerns raised were NOT referred to Social Services, and what were the stated reasons for non-referral? 8.Provide a copy of Barnet Council's internal policies on processing and escalating safeguarding concerns to Social Services and MASH, including:See above this is a London wide documentoTimeframes and proceduresoThresholds for referraloSteps taken if a concern is not escalated(Specifically reference relevant sections in any documents provided.)9.Provide details of any internal audits or reviews conducted since January 2023 to assess compliance with safeguarding obligations. 10.For safeguarding concerns formally referred to MASH:*What is the recorded average and required timeframe from the concern being raised to referral?*How many cases took longer than: o24 hourso48 hoursoOne weekoOne monthoNever referredSee continuum of help and support for timescales(If no records exist, provide the expected timeframe and general procedure Barnet Council follows.)11.How many safeguarding concerns raised were NOT referred to MASH, and what were the stated reasons for non-referral? 12.Provide details of whether any safeguarding concerns were escalated directly by Barnet Council officers, including cases where concerns were rejected or delayed.To clarify: I am seeking any procedural guidance or policy describing:*When and how frontline officers or safeguarding leads can escalate a safeguarding concern internally (e.g., to a MASH team or senior manager),*Whether officers have discretion to escalate concerns even if earlier triage rejected them,*Any documented cases since January 2023 where escalation occurred after an initial delay or rejection.4. Ombudsman Cases & Complaints Handling16.How many complaints have been submitted to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGO) against Barnet Council since January 2023 regarding:*Housing suitability*Safeguarding concerns *Failure to follow statutory housing obligations 17.Provide copies of Barnet Council's official guidelines for responding to an Ombudsman enquiry.
Outcome / Documents
- Response (all information to be supplied) - application/pdf - Download