Hampshire vulnerable adults abused

6:27am Friday 18th January 2008

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MORE than 400 cases of suspected abuse of vulnerable adults were reported in Hampshire last year.

But criminal prosecutions were sought in only four cases, according to the latest statistics.

Now a senior county councillor is calling on the police and social services to do more to investigate the alleged adult abuse and press charges.

Cllr Alan Dowden, Lib-Dem opposition spokesman for adult care, said the reported cases were sadly "only the tip of the ice-burg."

He said more resources were needed to create an expert, in-house team to prevent abuse and take legal action against the perpetrators.

His call comes after the publication of an inter-agency report showed the county council handled 421 cases of suspected adult abuse between April 2006 and March 2007, compared to 469 the previous year.

Evidence of abuse was found in eight out of ten cases.

Of those investigated for abuse, 149 were a partner or relative, 123 paid carers and 52 other service users.

The police issued nine cautions and continued to investigate seven cases, according to the first annual Hampshire Adult Protection Report.

The statistics show 16 paid carers have been disciplined as a result of the allegations - three by the county council and 13 by private care providers.

Eight care workers regarded as too risky or dangerous to work with the elderly or disabled were put on a national Protection of Vulnerable Adults (POVA) list, barring them in future.

Adult protection officers rescued 27 abused individuals while 29 abusers were removed from the situation.

Jane Lawson, strategic safeguarding adult manager, said prosecution was only one of a broad range of outcomes. The others included management action, education and support.

She said: "The vulnerable person may not choose to go down the prosecution route, especially if it is a family member. Hampshire figures for prosecutions reflect national statistics. It is not the most likely outcome."

Ms Lawson said the police were involved in more than half the cases but powerful evidence was needed to prosecute.

She said: "We want to achieve as many cases going to court as appropriate and in the best interests of the vulnerable adult, but the police role is broader. Sometimes their presence can say what you are doing is wrong.' A warning signal is sometimes enough."

Hampshire figures show vulnerable adults are most likely to be abused in their own home (48 per cent) followed by residential care homes (25 per cent) and nursing homes (eight per cent).

Most of the alleged victims were either elderly or with learning disabilities.

Nearly a third (30 per cent) of the reported abuse was physical, such as hitting or handling roughly, followed by "financial" including theft (24 per cent).

Power of attorney to stop financial abuse was sought in seven cases while services to reduce carer stress were offered in 15 cases.

However, two victims refused support of any kind and the abuse continued, according to the report.

Plans in the pipeline include more joint working between adult social services and the police, including training.

Hampshire Constabulary has put in a bid for an additional sergeant to focus on adult protection while the county council has created three new "safeguarding" co-ordinator posts.

Hampshire Crown Prosecution Service meanwhile has begun monitoring cases involving vulnerable adults to ensure witnesses and victims are provided with appropriate support.

County councillor Felicity Hindson, executive member for adult social care, said: "We have a duty which we take very seriously indeed to safeguard vulnerable adults from abuse of any kind."

But Mr Dowden said: "I question whether the police have got the resources or the expertise to follow through all these complaints. If the council took it seriously there is a lot more that could be done but it is a question of whether they have the resources to put a team together to work closely with the police."