Electronic Interagency Referral Discussions (E-IRDs) Engagement with the Police The West Lothian Approach to Electronic Adult Protection David Robertson, Senior Responsible Officer - Information Sharing, West Lothian Community Health and Care Partnership Nick Clater, Group Manager – Protection & Emergency Services, West Lothian Council IT in support of information sharing between Health and Social Care 24th April 2013 at the National Museums of Scotland
Engagement with the Police The West Lothian Approach to
Electronic Adult Protection
David Robertson, Senior Responsible Officer - Information Sharing, West Lothian Community Health and Care Partnership
Nick Clater, Group Manager – Protection & Emergency Services, West Lothian Council
IT in support of information sharing between Health and Social Care
24th April 2013 at the National Museums of Scotland
The Act sets out statutory duties of co-operation for certain public bodies and their office-holders:
CouncilsNHS boardsPoliceCare Commission
Mental Welfare Commission; andthe Public Guardian.
These public bodies and their staff must:
Report the facts and circumstances to the local Council when they know or believe that someone is an adult at risk and that action is needed to protect that adult from harm;
and Cooperate with the Council and each other to enable or assist the council making inquiries.
Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 - Duty to
cooperate
Various laws protect information. The rights to privacy and seeking consent should always be considered, but various laws also allow information sharing without consent:
The Human Rights Act 1998The Common Law Duty of ConfidentialityThe Data Protection Act 1998
These existing laws allow information to be disclosed without consent:
where such disclosure is required by law (either a court order
or statute); where such disclosure is for crime prevention,
detection and prosecution;where such disclosure is in the public interest
(including the best interests of adults, who are or may be being
harmed).
The Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 supports information sharing without consent when it is necessary to protect adults at risk.
Information Sharing: the Law
E-IRD stands for Electronic Inter-Agency (or Initial) Referral Discussion
The E-IRD records the discussion between agencies to share and consider all relevant information about an adult at risk of harm.
Those undertaking the discussion make decisions and plan responses on the basis of that shared information.
Definition of E-IRDs
To plan the investigation and establish agency involvement;
To agree any immediate protective measures;
To identify and share information;
To establish whether a crime may have been committed;
To establish whether an AP investigation is required;
To establish whether an Adult Protection Case Conference
(or Professional Concerns Meeting) is required;
To establish what type of Adult Protection investigation is
required.
Purpose of E-IRDs
Limited number of staff need to be trained;
Any of the three agencies can initiate an IRD;
Initiating agency responsible for the completion of the E-IRD
form;
Initiating agency telephones other agencies and shares
information;
Initiating agency will record information on E-IRD form;
Other agencies check E-IRD form for accuracy before
closure;
E-IRD form should be completed within 24 hours of IRD
initiation.
Process, Recording & Timescales of E-IRDs
C-me and eCare are established shared information systems in West Lothian designed to provide whole person view
Adult version draws from host systems in Social Work, Health and Housing
