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Tackling Modern Slavery Statement

Tackling Modern Slavery Statement for the financial year 2022/23

In accordance with the requirements of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, Livewell Southwest CIC has produced the following statement for the financial year ending 31 March 2023.

Organisation structure, supply chains and due diligence

Livewell Southwest is a recognised provider of integrated health and social care services operating across South Hams, West Devon and Plymouth, with additional responsibilities for delivering specialist services to people living in certain parts of Cornwall and Devon. Integrating health and social care means that we can deliver care for people in new ways which are more efficient, with professionals who would have previously worked in individual teams now working together. This way of working helps us to deliver the right care to people, in the right place, at the right time.

We were founded as a pioneering, independent community interest company. This means we are a not-for-profit organisation which re-invests all revenue back into the services we provide, and the communities we serve. While we are not a formal part of the NHS, we work alongside colleagues from local NHS hospitals and services to deliver expert care to a range of communities.

Our award-winning services are diverse and include: community nursing; services for people with learning disabilities; physiotherapy; community mental health services; social work; wellbeing and health improvement services; services for children and young people and community pharmacies.

As part of our overall commitment to keeping people safe, well and at home, and consistent with local multi-agency safeguarding policies and procedures, we have taken action to protect vulnerable people or those at risk of abuse. We recognise our role in identifying and supporting victims of modern slavery and human trafficking as part of the health & social care system, as well as ensuring there is no such activity forming part of our supply chain or business activity.

In relation to our supply chain, formal assurance continues to be provided by NHS Supply Chain to confirm the action it takes to ensure modern slavery and human trafficking is not taking place within the supply chain. This continues to be reviewed annually by us and has been reviewed further within the last 12 months.

Arrangements are also in place to seek assurance from other providers of services through our procurement process and regular contract management meetings. Over the last 12 months there have been no incidents of modern slavery or human trafficking identified within our supply chain.

Within our leadership role with our community, we have sought assurances from our key statutory partners on their commitment to tackling modern slavery and we will continue to review suppliers to ensure they have a corresponding ethos. Due diligence is undertaken when considering new supplier relationships and any tender process that we are involved in also includes a section on the welfare of their staff and their adherence to modern slavery legislation.

Our policies in relation to slavery and human trafficking

In relation to recruitment activity, action is in place to provide ongoing assurance that all colleagues employed on a permanent or temporary basis are subject to identity and right to work checks to ensure that they are not the subject of modern slavery or human trafficking. We have a number of other policies in place to ensure compliance with legislation including a Declaration of Interest Policy and a well-established Whistleblowing Policy, which encourages colleagues to disclose issues or concerns, and our Freedom to Speak Up Guardians are readily available as a point of contact.

Training on modern slavery and trafficking

Assessing risks of human trafficking and modern slavery are included within the corporate safeguarding training, specific multi-agency policy and procedures, and as an organisation, we are able to respond to requests from other agencies where this risk has been identified. With the use of these procedures Livewell Southwest has gained experience in supporting the Police, Border Control and the Local Authority where human trafficking and modern slavery has been detected elsewhere.

Further to Board approval given on 27 April 2023, this statement is signed on behalf of the Board by Geoff Baines, Deputy CEO & Director of Safety and Quality, on 27 April 2023.