Safeguarding
What you need to know
The Trust is committed to protecting the safety and welfare of children and vulnerable adults. It is their right to be kept safe from harm, abuse or neglect.
Abuse may consist of single, or repeated actions and may include:
- Physical
- Sexual
- Emotional/Psychological
- Neglect
- Domestic Abuse
- Institutional
- Discrimination
- Financial
Why it’s important
Everyone at the Trust has a responsibility for safeguarding. If you are worried about the safety or welfare of a child or vulnerable adult, you can talk to the ward manager, senior sister or matron or use the following contact numbers to share your concerns.
Safeguarding Children and Young People
The Children Act 1989 and 2004 makes it a legal duty for Leeds Teaching Hospital staff to protect all children under 18 from the risk of significant harm. The Children and Midwifery Safeguarding Team and LTHT staff are guided by the following key principles:
- Children have a right to be safe and should be protected from all forms of abuse and neglect
- Safeguarding children is everybody’s business
- It is better to help children and their families as early as possible, before issues escalate and become more damaging
- Children and families are best supported and protected when everybody works together.
The Trust has a Named Nurse, Named Midwife, Named Doctor and a team of Safeguarding Children Nurse Advisors who support and advise staff with concerns related to child protection, safeguarding and Early Help support for families.
If you are a member of the public and are concerned that a child or young person under 18 is at risk of abuse or neglect, please report this immediately to Children Social Work Services on: 0113 2224403 between 9am - 5pm.
If you think a child is in immediate danger, call the police on 999 out of office hours (evenings, weekends and bank holidays).
Further information is available on the Leeds Safeguarding Children Partnership (LSCP) website: LSCP - Concerned about a Child)
Safeguarding vulnerable adults
The Trust has a Named Professional, Nurse Specialists and Nurse Advisors for Safeguarding Adults at risk
A vulnerable adult is anyone aged 18 years or over:
- Who is or may be in need of community services because of mental or other illness, disability or age, and
- Who is, or may be unable to protect themselves against serious harm or exploitation
If you are concerned that a vulnerable adult is being abused, contact:
If you are a member of the public and are concerned about an adult at risk of abuse please call Adult Social Care on: 0113 222 4401 between 8.30am - 5pm or the Emergency Duty team (out of hours): 0113 240 9536
Further information is available on the Leeds Safeguarding Adults website
Contacting the Police
If someone is in imminent danger, ring 999. If a crime has been committed, but there is no immediate danger, ring 101.
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Safeguarding Teams
If you wish to speak to someone at the hospital about safeguarding please contact:
- Adult's team - 0113 2066964
- Children's team - 0113 3923937
The teams are available from 8.30 to 4.30 Monday to Friday
