There are several key pieces of legislation that relate to safeguarding adults. These are listed below:
- The Care Act 2014-makes it the duty of local authorities to make enquiries if someone is being abused or is at risk of abuse. Also requires that local authorities set up multi-agency safeguarding adult boards to review cases when an individual dies as a result of abuse or neglect.
- The Mental Capacity Act 2005-aims to protect and empower individuals who are unable to make decisions for themselves because of a mental disability.
- The Human Rights Act 1998-gives specific rights to every individual living in the UK.
- The General Data Protection Regulation 2016-regulates the way in which personal data is handled and prevents it from falling into the wrong hands.
- The Equality Act 2010-protects individuals from discrimination and disadvantage due to a number of protected characteristics such as sex and race.
You should familiarise yourself with this legislation as it may help you make decisions about individuals who are being abused or are at risk of abuse.