1. East Sussex SAB
  2. Safeguarding adult reviews (SARs)

Safeguarding adult reviews (SARs)

SAR criteria

The Care Act 2014 sets out the criteria for a safeguarding adult review (SAR). 

Each Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB) must arrange a SAR when it suspects or knows that an adult has:

  • died because of abuse or neglect; or
  • experienced serious abuse or neglect which has resulted in permanent harm, reduced capacity or quality of life

and

  • there is concern that partner agencies could have worked more effectively to protect the adult.

Purpose of a SAR

A SAR promotes learning, improves practice and reduces the risk of future deaths or harm.

It reviews:

  • how effective the safeguarding procedures are
  • what is working well
  • how professionals and agencies can work together better
  • any service improvement or development needs for agencies.

It should not:

  • be a primary investigation process
  • re-investigate a safeguarding incident
  • apportion blame
  • substitute for a complaints process.

The findings from SARs inform action plans, to improve services and reduce the risks of future harm. This supports continuous development and good practice.

Safeguarding adult review (SAR) referrals

Any agency or professional can make a referral if it meets the criteria for a safeguarding adult review (SAR). 

Ensure you understand the purpose of a SAR. 

When to make a SAR referral

Consider the criteria

  • If the person is alive, has there been serious abuse or neglect?
  • Did or does the person have care and support needs?
  • Has there been a concluded enquiry by an agency, like adult social care, the police or health?
  • Could there be learning to improve multi-agency working?

Discuss with your supervisor, manager or safeguarding lead

Discuss whether a referral is appropriate. 

Can you evidence all sections and meet the criteria on the SAR referral form?

Consider contacting your Safeguarding Adults Board for advice.

Make a SAR referral

Complete this form including as much information as possible:

SAR referral form

State:

  • which enquiry was completed - for example, Serious incident, Root cause analysis, Section 42 Safeguarding enquiry, criminal investigation.  
  • by which agency (such as, police, health or social care)
  • what the outcome was

Email the completed form to your Safeguarding Adults Board, listed on the form.

Help to make a SAR referral

For guidance on making a referral, see Appendix C of the Sussex SAR protocol.

What happens next

The Safeguarding Adults Board considers referrals in line with the Sussex SAR protocol. 

The SAR subgroup then:

  • review referrals
  • consider the criteria
  • make a recommendation to the SAB's independent chair

The independent chair makes the final decision.

Safeguarding adult reviews guidance

Sussex SAR protocol

Sussex safeguarding adult review protocol

The three Sussex SABs developed this protocol as part of the Sussex safeguarding adults policy and procedures.

National analysis of SARs

This analysis by the Local Government Association identifies priorities for sector-led improvement. The learning came from SARs completed between 2019 and 2023, including during the Covid-19 pandemic:

National

The National SAR library is a database of safeguarding adult reviews published  after 1 April 2019.

Podcast

Pan Sussex shared learning from SARs podcast

The podcast covers four shared themes in reviews across Sussex and the actions taken. The themes are:

  • mental capacity
  • making safeguarding personal
  • safeguarding processes
  • multi-agency information sharing and communication