SAFETY concerns for adults in the Dorset Council area have increased by around 20 per cent over the course of a year.

At times over a hundred cases are now being reported each week although few reach the stage of needing a formal investigation with many being classed as ‘self-neglect’.

An annual safeguarding report says that in a number of cases support being offered continues to be refused.

The report says that significant efforts have been made during the year to spread the message about how and where to report concerns over the welfare of adults – with an emphasis on all the agencies taking concerns seriously and not being hesitant to pass information on when it was believed something might be wrong.

Among the steps taken during the year has been to strengthen weekend social work team to help with those being discharged from hospital but still in need of care and support, avoiding unnecessary delays.

The report says that while emotional, physical and psychological abuse by others continue to be a concern there are many cases classed as self-neglect.

Said the report: “We are seeking to improve understanding of self-neglect across all age groups and how we can work together effectively to provide the right support at the right time.”

The pan-Dorset Safeguarding Adults Board, which operates in both Dorset council areas, was involved with more than 13,000 cases of concern involving vulnerable adults last year with more than 8,000 serious concerns reported in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council area and more than 5,000 in the Dorset Council area.

After investigation the risk was either removed, or reduced in the majority of cases although in seven per cent of the BCP cases, following investigation, the risk was still said to remain; with two per cent of the Dorset cases considered to be a remaining risk.

In both council areas women are nearly twice as likely to be the subject of concerns compared to men with a bigger risk for women over the age of 75.