Safeguarding
If you are worried that a child or an older person is being abused or neglected, act now.
In immediate danger?
If someone is in immediate danger, call the emergency number shown at the top of this page.
Who to tell
- Child Protection Authority
For concerns about a child. If a child is in immediate danger, call 211.
Set up by: Child Safety and Protection Act 2025
- Senior Welfare Authority
For concerns about an older person. Health and care workers, caregivers and family members must report suspected abuse to the Senior Welfare Authority. If an older person is in immediate danger, call 211.
Set up by: Senior Dignity and Welfare Act 2025, section 2A(b)
For LHS staff
We run a single reporting channel for staff to report suspected abuse of a child to the Child Protection Authority, and suspected abuse of an older person to the Senior Welfare Authority. It supports confidential reports, urgent escalation and record keeping, and protects you from retaliation (LHS Act 2026, section 7A). It adds to, and does not replace, your own mandatory reporting duties (section 7A(c)).
Staff can find the reporting channel on the LHS staff intranet, or ask their line manager or safeguarding lead.
Your health information and safeguarding
Patient privacy law does not stop a report the law requires to protect a child or an older person (Health Information and Patient Privacy Act 2026, section 5A(a)).