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The Learning Report, commissioned following complaints made about local doctors, has laid bare the "turbulent environment" which encompassed those involved in the care of sick children leading to an ongoing row over safeguarding policies.
An undisclosed number of parents and carers had raised concerns about the use of the safeguarding processes in Guernsey by clinicians, predominantly, in relation to the health care of their children.
Yesterday, HSC said "many of the recommendations" made by the author of the Learning Report had been completed, with work on the "final few recommendations ongoing", but when Express asked which recommendations have been acted on so far, HSC declined to comment further.
The Learning Report was commissioned in 2021 with four key questions posed:
Was due process followed in terms of the safeguarding referrals?
Was appropriate input sought, from: the caregivers / family involved, wider team members?
Was any referral in safeguarding terms made in the best interests of the child in each case?
Was there any evidence that the safeguarding process was misused?
In conclusion, the report offered 17 recommendations for improvements to safeguarding processes.
The Learning Report found that the parents and carers' concerns over the safeguarding processes highlighted "systemic and cultural issues" which the report's author said needed to be dealt with.
It also questioned whether "in this turbulent environment, was the focus on children lost?"
To ensure that doesn't happen, the report suggested maintaining a multi-agency approach - with the MSG and HSC and the Islands Safeguarding Children's Partnership - to deal with multiple complaints.
"Components of this strategy should include the need to minimise collateral damage to the child and family and the multi-agency front line, the requirement to have courageous conversations and hold a senior line of accountability," says the report.
Pictured: The recommendations made by the Learning Report.
The multi-agency approach runs through the recommendations as a theme with one suggestion being that a Named Professional from the MSG, Health and Social Care, and the island's Primary Care providers each work together in line with national guidance.
The bulk of the recommendations are aimed at HSC - which had requested the Learning Report, and has oversight of all health and social care services in the island.
Those recommendations include updating the contract with the MSG to ensure that a minimum safeguarding requirement is in place in line with national arrangements and intercollegiate guidance.
That minimum safeguarding requirement should itself include a requirement for safeguarding supervision of all doctors, safeguarding training, and agreed pathways and processes.
As above, when Express asked HSC which of the recommendations have been acted on so far, we were told the Committee would not comment further than it already had done so.
"The learning report was commissioned independently to look into the matters raised. It is a working document for the professionals and families concerned and not intended for general publication.
"The learning report is based on the experiences of a very limited number of families and it is important that their confidentiality is respected as they cover very difficult and sensitive areas. Patient confidentiality is a fundamental principle in health and social care. Our position in respect of the rights of the children who cannot consent to the publication, which may impact on them in future years, is unchanged. HSC has a duty to safeguard those interests in a small community and it takes this responsibility very seriously. The report had been shared and discussed with the families and their concerns investigated and acted upon.
"As a result of those discussions, it was agreed that a family representative would be part of a Task and Finish Group established to progress the recommendations of the report, in order for their experiences to inform future practice. While this work is ongoing, it has been progressing well, with many of the recommendations having been completed and the final few recommendations ongoing. There has been a strong commitment from all professionals to work with HSC to achieve the outcomes and recommendations of the learning report."
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