Adult support and protection: guidance for GPs and primary care teams

Professional Obligations

Where someone is suspected of being an adult at risk of harm, an Adult Support and Protection referral should be made to the council or delegated agency within 24 hours.

Once you have made a referral this places a duty on the Council or the delegated agency to make inquiries where they know or believe that an individual may be an adult at risk of harm.

Some bodies have a duty to co-operate under the legislation e.g. Health Boards and Healthcare Improvement Scotland, Police and Local Authorities. Those aside, the Code of Practice outlines a number of service providers who contribute to the protection of adults at risk.

This includes specific reference to the role of GPs in making a broader contribution to adult protection beyond that required by statute as they may be the first professional to notice harm.

Professionals may then receive requests for further information under sections 4, 5 and 10 of the 2007 Act from the council. All responses should include relevant and proportionate information in relation to the risk of harm. Guidance is offered below on responding to these requests. Further references providing more detail on obligations specific to your professional group are available in the appendices of this guide.