Adult Safeguarding
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From: Department of Health
- Published on: 28 June 2019
- Last updated on: 9 December 2025
- Introduction
- Consultation and Research
- Department of Health Steering Group
- Steering Group Policy Discussion Papers and Presentations
- Resources and Links
Introduction
Every adult has a fundamental right to be safe and to live a life free from harm. Some adults, for a wide variety of reasons, may be at greater risk of experiencing harm from another person and may need additional measures, known as adult safeguarding, to protect themselves from harm.
Adult safeguarding means putting measures in place to promote and protect the safety, health, well-being and human rights of adults at risk, reduce their risk of harm, empower them to protect themselves and support them to live free from abuse, harm and neglect.
The Department of Health launched the first National Policy Framework for Adult Safeguarding in Health and Social Care Sector on 9 December 2025. This policy framework will apply to all health and social care services, whether provided by public, voluntary or private bodies.
The policy framework sets out how safeguarding will operate in the health and social care sector, including policy and legislative measures to expand and strengthen existing supports and protections in the sector.
Access the different formats of the National Policy Framework for Adult Safeguarding in the Health and Social Care Sector here.
Consultation and Research
Public consultation on policy proposals for adult safeguarding in the health and social care sector (2024)
The Department of Health held a public consultation on draft Policy Proposals on Adult Safeguarding in the Health and Social Care Sector between 31 January 2024 and 2 April 2024, to inform the draft policy proposals and to contribute to the development of the final policy. An Easy-To-Read summary of the proposals and Easy-To-Read survey format were also made available.
Access the draft policy proposals prepared for the public consultation.
The Institute of Public Health was commissioned to analyse the responses to the public consultation and to prepare a report to reflect and summarise the range of views expressed by respondents on the scope, content, and potential implementation of the draft policy proposals.
Policy Proposals on Adult Safeguarding - Public Consultation Report
Report on Adult Safeguarding Focus Groups with Health and Social Care Service Users (2021)
Evidence review to inform development of a national policy on adult safeguarding in the health and social care sector
Policy on Adult Safeguarding in the Health Sector Stakeholder Workshop (2019)
Read the Steering Group Documentation here.
Department of Health Steering Group
The members of the Department of Health Steering Group are as follows:
| Member | Organisation |
| Ms Siobhán McArdle (Chair) | Department of Health |
| Ms Laura Casey | Department of Health |
| Ms Áine Kilroy | Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth |
| Mr Tim Hanly | HSE (National Safeguarding office) |
| Mr James Gorman | HSE (Patients’ Private Property Accounts Central Unit) |
| Dr Orla Healy | HSE (National Clinical Director of Quality and Patient Safety) |
| Mr Deaglán Ó Briain | Department of Justice and Equality |
| Dr JP Nolan | HSE (Quality and Patient Safety – Community Healthcare) |
| Ms Margaret Brennan | HSE (Quality and Patient Safety – Acute Operations) |
| Superintendent Derek Maguire | An Garda Síochána |
| Ms Margaret Hynds O’Flanagan | CORU |
| Mr Gary Kiernan | Mental Health Commission |
| Ms Carol Grogan | Health Information and Quality Authority |
| Ms Rachel Downes | Public Interest Representative/ Citizens Information Board |
| Dr Áine Flynn | Decision Support Service |
Steering Group Policy Discussion Papers and Presentations
Resources and Links
- HSE – Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults
- Moving Forward: Adult Safeguarding in the Health Service Executive
- HSE – Adult Safeguarding and Protection Teams
- HIQA and Mental Health Commission National Standards for Adult Safeguarding - Approved by Minister for Health
- Law Reform Commission: A Regulatory Framework for Adult Safeguarding