Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007: guidance for General Practice

Why do we need to share adult protection information?

Organisations need to share safeguarding information with the right people at the right time to:

• prevent death or serious harm;
• coordinate effective and efficient responses;
• enable early interventions to prevent the escalation of risk;
• prevent abuse and harm that may increase the need for care and support;
• maintain and improve good practice in safeguarding adults;
• reveal patterns of abuse that were previously undetected and that could identify others at risk of abuse;
• identify low-level concerns that may reveal people at risk of abuse;
• help people to access the right kind of support to reduce risk and promote wellbeing;
• help identify people who may pose a risk to others and, where possible, work to reduce offending behaviour;
• reduce organisational risk and protect reputation.

Where someone is suspected of being an adult at risk of harm, an Adult Support and Protection referral should be made to the council within 24 hours – any delay should be recorded with reasons.

Once you have made a referral this places a duty on the council to make inquiries where they know or believe that an individual may be an adult at risk of harm.