What is a Safeguarding Adult Review?
A Safeguarding Adult Review (SAR) is a multi-agency review required by The Care Act (2014) and conducted by a local Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB). In Bristol, the Keeping Bristol Safe Partnership fulfil the function of the local Safeguarding Adults Board.
As stated in section 44 of The Care Act (2014), a SAR must take place when:
14.122. SABs must arrange a SAR when an adult in its area dies as a result of abuse or neglect, whether known or suspected, and there is concern that partner agencies could have worked more effectively to protect the adult.
14.123. SABs must also arrange a SAR if the same circumstances apply where an adult is still alive but has experienced serious neglect or abuse. SABs are free to arrange for a SAR in other situations where it believes that there will be value in doing so. This may be where a case can provide useful insights into the way organisations are working together to prevent and reduce abuse and neglect of adults, and can include exploring examples of good practice.
SABs may also arrange for a SAR in any other situations involving an adult in its area with needs for care and support. (The Care Act 2014, s14.134).
The SAR Process
A Safeguarding Adults Review (SAR) is a multi-agency review process which seeks to determine what agencies could have done differently that could have prevented harm or a death from taking place. The purpose of a SAR is to promote effective learning and improvement, not to apportion blame.
Request a SAR
If you believe that a case meets the criteria for SAR, please complete a SAR Request Form and email to KBSP.statutoryreviews@bristol.gov.uk. You will need to demonstrate how the criteria are fulfilled and provide as much information as possible to support this.
Before submitting the referral, please discuss this with your agency representative on the KBSP SAR/DHR sub-group. If you do not have a representative, please discuss this with the Safeguarding lead in your organisation.
The KBSP Statutory Review Local Protocol and Guidance sets out the processes for SARs in Bristol.
National Reviews
SCIE hosts a repository of local SARs which can be found in the Safeguarding Adult Review library.
Previous SARs
Any reviews older than five years can be found in the archive below. Anything older than ten years is kept on file by the KBSP Business Unit and can be accessed upon request.