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Introduction
In 2009-2010 we have seen an unprecedented number of consultations, policy development, inspectorate reports and legal guidance surrounding the issue of safeguarding adults in England and Wales ([32], [33] Department of Health (DoH), 2009, 2010; [13] Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW), 2010; [42] Health Inspectorate Wales (HIW), 2010; [76] The Law Commission, 2010; [62] NHSL, 2010; [84] Welsh Institute for Health and Social Care (WIHSC), 2010). The profile of safeguarding adults may have been raised as incidents of abuse in health and social care settings appear in the media all too frequently ([68] Ramsay, 2009). Over recent years, there have also been a number of independent enquiries that have shocked the public, including those concerning Cornwall National Health Service (NHS) Partnership ([19] Commission for Social Care Inspection and the Healthcare Commission, 2006), Sutton and Merton Primary Care Trust ([41] Healthcare Commission, 2007) and Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust ([46] TSO, 2010). This article will appraise professional practice in safeguarding vulnerable adults. It will examine the mechanisms in place and discuss how future policy will affect multi-agency working in this field. The main focus will be on current reviews in England and Wales ([32] DoH, 2009; [84] WIHSC, 2010) as Scotland already has primary legislation, namely, The Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act ([72] Scottish Executive, 2007) and Northern Ireland already has an updated policy, the [29] Regional Adult Protection Policy & Procedural Guidance (2006).
Vulnerable adult - adults at risk: adult protection - safeguarding adults
There is growing opinion from health, Social Services and service user groups who argue that the term vulnerable adult should be replaced with the term "adult at risk" ([72] Scottish Executive, 2007; [32] DoH, 2009; [76] The Law Commission, 2010; [84] WIHSC, 2010). The term vulnerable adult is criticised as all adults are likely to be vulnerable at times in their lives, and it is felt that it is important to differentiate between adults towards whom safeguarding policy should be targeted, such as those who are not in a position to protect their own interests, as well as focusing on the acts of others and the context of the situation that makes a person vulnerable ([73] Spencer-Lane, 2010; [48] Law Commission, 2008). "Adult at risk" is the...