Written question asked by Jim Cousins (Labour) on Wednesday, 3 May 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 9 May 2006. It was answered by Ivan Lewis (Labour) on Tuesday, 9 May 2006 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Serious Case Reviews

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many serious case reviews for vulnerable adults have been carried out; and in how many cases the serious case review involved the murder of a vulnerable adult.

Answer: The information requested is not collected centrally. There is no statutory requirement for statutory agencies to carry out serious case reviews for vulnerable adults. This is a matter for local decision.The Department, together with the Home Office, issued "No Secrets" as statutory guidance under Section 7 of the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970. It is designed to help authorities to investigate reports of abuse and develop measures for prevention. It requests local authorities to ensure that local communities are aware of the existence of adult protection procedures and that they know where they can report incidents of abuse.It provides a complete definition of abuse and a framework for councils to work with the police, the national health service and regulators and other agencies to tackle abuse and prevent it from occurring.

Secondary information