Age Concern wants more abuse training

All health and social care staff in Scotland should receive
compulsory training in the abuse of vulnerable adults.

Ann Ferguson, project leader on elder abuse for Age Concern
Scotland, said she was “shocked” by the number of social care and
health staff she met who had had no training in abuse issues.

Professor John Williams of the department of law at the University
of Wales told delegates that Scotland’s plans for a Vulnerable
Adults Bill put the country five years ahead of England and Wales.

He added that he was “amazed” that there was no duty on English and
Welsh authorities to investigate cases of abuse of vulnerable
adults, despite having statutory duties in regard to children.

Ferguson also called for a wider definition of what constitutes a
vulnerable adult.

“We have felt that for too long people weren’t talking about the
abuse of older people in Scotland,” she said. “This is why we have
been pressing hard for the bill.”