Introduction

Our safeguarding resources have been developed to support general practice in meeting their responsibilities for safeguarding children and adults.

This page brings together key information and practical resources in one place, including statutory and national guidance, policies and templates, practice guidance and toolkits, training and competency requirements, CQC guidance, and emergency and referral information.

The resources are designed to provide practical support for GPs, Practice Managers, Safeguarding Leads and wider practice teams, whether responding to a safeguarding concern, reviewing practice arrangements, supporting staff development or preparing for CQC.

1.Statutory and National Safeguarding Guidance 

This section brings together key statutory requirements and national guidance relating to safeguarding children and adults in general practice. It provides quick access to relevant legislation, national standards and professional guidance to help practices understand their safeguarding responsibilities. 

Alongside national guidance, we have developed practical LMC summaries and resources to help practices understand and implement key requirements within a general practice setting. 

You can also find learning from local safeguarding reviews and 7-minute briefings, highlighting key themes, recommendations and learning relevant to primary care. 

Children 

Adults 

Local Safeguarding Guidance & Procedures 

Lancashire  

Children 

Adults 

Blackpool 

Children 

Adults 

Blackburn with Darwen 

Children 

Adults 

Westmoreland & Furness  

Children 

Adults 

Cumbria 

Children 

Adults 

2. Policies & Templates 

This section contains safeguarding policies, templates and supporting guidance designed to help practices develop and maintain appropriate safeguarding arrangements for both children and adults.

The resources are intended as practical starting points and should be reviewed and adapted by individual practices to reflect their own circumstances, local safeguarding arrangements, referral pathways and relevant organisational policies. Practices should ensure that documents are regularly reviewed and remain consistent with current statutory and local guidance.

Children

  • Child safeguarding policy template
  • Not brought to Appointment guidance
  • Recording guidance

Adults

  • Adult safeguarding template
  • Mental capacity act guidance

3. Practice Guidance & Toolkits

This section provides practical safeguarding guidance and tools specifically to support general practice teams in their day-to-day work.

Resources cover a range of safeguarding situations involving children and adults, including recognising levels of need, making referrals, professional curiosity, identifying different forms of abuse and responding to complex safeguarding concerns.

The guidance is designed to help practices recognise concerns, support appropriate decision-making and understand when further advice, referral or escalation may be required.

Children

  • Levels of need/Threshold examples
  • GP Specific safeguarding examples
  • Flowcharts for referral
  • Professional curiosity guidance
  • The toolkit you created

Adults

  • Care Act abuse categories explained
  • Coercive control and carer-related risk
  • Self-neglect in Primary Care

DISPLAY POSTERS 

4. Training and Competency

General practice teams should have safeguarding knowledge and competencies appropriate to their role and level of responsibility.

This page provides information to help practices understand safeguarding training requirements for different members of the team, including safeguarding children, Prevent and the responsibilities of Practice Safeguarding Leads.

Supporting resources, including training matrices, competency guidance and self-audit tools, are also available to help practices review and evidence their safeguarding arrangements.

Safeguarding Children training

  • Underneath each one would be a written sentence of what level staff should do, and what the training is for. 

Prevent training

  • Written explanation

Safeguarding Lead expectations

  • Written explanation


  • Linked guidance such as a training matrix
  • Self-audit template

5. Safeguarding CQC Guidance

Safeguarding is an important part of demonstrating that a practice provides safe, effective and well-led care.

This section brings together practical resources to help practices review their safeguarding arrangements and prepare for CQC assessment. Resources include staff self-audit tools, Safeguarding Lead checklists and guidance on safeguarding documentation and record keeping.

Practices requiring additional support can also access the LMC's CQC Support Service, which provides practical assistance with inspection preparation, documentation and practice readiness.

  •  Staff self audit template
  • Safeguarding lead checklist
  • Documentation guidance

Get in touch with our CQC lead for support toni.parker@nwlmcs.org or see our CQC page on our website here.

6. Emergency & Referral Information

This section provides quick access to key safeguarding contact details and referral information for children and adults across our local areas.

It includes contact details for local authority safeguarding services, emergency and out-of-hours services, and local safeguarding partnerships.

Where there is an immediate risk to life or serious harm, practices should follow the appropriate emergency procedures and contact emergency services where required.

Lancashire 

Children 

  • LADO – 0300 123 6720 or out of hours 0300 123 6722 

Adults 

Blackpool 

Children 

Adults 

  • Adults Social Care - 1253 477800 
Blackburn with Darwen 

Children 

Adults 

  • Adults Social Care - 01254 585 949 
Westmoreland & Furness 

Children 

Adults 

  • Adults Social Care – 0300 373 3301 or out of hours 0153 976 8700 
Cumberland 

Children 

Adult