In this section you will find information about:

Safeguarding vulnerable people
Safeguarding adults
Domestic violence
If you suspect a vulnerable adult may be abused
Safeguarding children
If you suspect a child may be being abused

Safeguarding vulnerable people

NHS South Gloucestershire has a duty of care to protect and safeguard adults and children and we work with a range of organisations in South Gloucestershire to do this.  

Safeguarding adults

NHS South Gloucestershire works with other agencies in South Gloucestershire such as South Gloucestershire Council, Avon and Somerset Constabulary, Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust and North Bristol NHS Trust to safeguarding vulnerable adults.

In South Gloucestershire there is a multi agency partnership called the Safeguarding Adults Committee (SAC) which oversees the Safeguarding Adults Policy and Procedures and the multi agency Workforce Development Plan.  

The Safeguarding Adults Policy and Procedures aim to safeguard all adults resident in South Gloucestershire aged 18 or over who are or may be eligible for community care services and whose independence and well-being would be at risk if they did not receive appropriate health and social care support.  

This includes: adults with physical, sensory or learning disabilities and those with mental health problems. It also includes carers, family and friends who provide personal assistance and care on an unpaid basis.  

Find out more about how NHS South Gloucestershire works with other agencies to safeguard vulnerable adults

If you suspect a vulnerable adult may be being abused

If you have concerns that an adult is being abused, do the right thing – report it. Call South Gloucestershire Council’s customer service desk on 01454 868007. 

Domestic Violence

If you, or you suspect that someone is a victim of domestic abuse or violence, please call the Police on 999.

Support group for younger women affected by domestic abuse

Survive is a charity which works against domestic violence in South Gloucestershire and Bristol. It is running a new programme—Freedom 16-24—which offers sessions to women aged between 16 and 24 who have been affected by domestic abuse. It is a free and confidential service which is open to any young woman who wants to know more about the reality of domestic abuse and how it can affect people. They also have a free preschool crèche for participants and a free lunch. Contact Survive for more information or to make a referral atPO Box 61,KingswoodBS15 8XJ.

Or phone 0117 9612999, email: info@survivedv.org.uk

 Safeguarding children

The safeguarding of children is everyone’s responsibility. Along with other public authorities, NHS South Gloucestershire has a duty to ensure that, in everything it does, it has regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. 

To ensure that all the relevant public authorities work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, there is a Local Safeguarding Children Board in each area, made up of senior people from the key organisations that work with children and their families.

NHS South Gloucestershire is committed to ensuring that children and young people in our care are safeguarded from harm and that their welfare is promoted. We have published a declaration to confirm this.

The Care & Quality Commission regularly monitors NHS South Gloucestershire on core standards for safeguarding children and we achieve a consistently good level of compliance with these. 

There is an annual report to the PCT Board – the most recent report can be viewed here.

We currently commission NHS services for the people in South Gloucestershire and have applied safeguarding children standards to all relevant contracts. NHS South Gloucestershire is the Lead Commissioner for Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Trust and their declaration of compliance for safeguarding children.  

We work closely with other agencies including Avon and Somerset Constabulary, South Gloucestershire Council and the Voluntary Sector. 

Find out more about safeguarding children in the South West Child Protection procedures at www.swcpp.org.uk

 If you suspect a child may be being abused

If you have ANY concerns about possible abuse or neglect of a child it is very important that Children’s Social Care are contacted. They are organised into Locality teams and depending where the child lives one of the following teams must be contacted.

Kingswood : 01454 865384

Severnvale : 01454 866832

Yate: 01454 868700

If you are not sure then any of the teams will help you.

If it is out of office hours then please call the Emergency Duty Team on 01454 615165 or the Public Protection Unit of the police on 0117 9455969.