The feasibility of introducing an adult safeguarding measure (survey) for inclusion in the adult social care outcomes framework (ASCOF): projecting costs
Abstract
Purpose
The Health and Social Care Information Centre undertook the development and piloting of a new adult safeguarding outcome measure (a face-to-face survey) for local authorities (LAs) that could be added to the adult social care outcomes framework (ASCOF). The ASCOF is a national collection of social care outcomes performance indicators collected from the perspective of people receiving partial or total funding from a LA for care services. The projected costs of introducing the survey as a new statutory measure in England were assessed. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
An outcome measure (a face-to-face interview based survey consisting of seven questions) was piloted during 2014 in 40 LAs with 20 adults at risk (or other informant) in each site who had been the subject of a safeguarding investigation (n=382). LAs were asked to estimate the cost to their LA of conducting the survey for two years, interviewing at least 15 per cent of their completed safeguarding cases each year.
Findings
Extrapolating cost findings to the full 152 LAs in England would give an estimated total cost of implementing the survey of approximately £3 million in Year 1 and £2.1 million in Year 2. Set-up costs for the survey can therefore be estimated at around £900,000. Wide variations were identified in the costs per interview between LAs and reasons for this are discussed.
Originality/value
The benefits of this unique survey are it enables LAs to measure how they are undertaking their adult safeguarding work from the perspective of adults at risk and others with a close interest. It also enables LAs to meet their new obligations under the Care Act 2014 Guidance to “understand what adults at risk think of adult safeguarding”.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This paper presents independent research funded by the DH’s Policy Research Programme. The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the DH. The authors are immensely grateful to all the participants and researchers who helped with this study and the LA staff who facilitated interviews.
Citation
Norrie, C., Manthorpe, J., Cartwright, C., Rayat, P. and Petrie, D. (2016), "The feasibility of introducing an adult safeguarding measure (survey) for inclusion in the adult social care outcomes framework (ASCOF): projecting costs", The Journal of Adult Protection, Vol. 18 No. 2, pp. 71-85. https://doi.org/10.1108/JAP-04-2015-0013
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
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