Raising a Concern

Raising a safeguarding concern is often the moment when uncertainty becomes action. You may not know exactly what is happening, and you may feel worried about getting it wrong, overreacting, or making things worse. In practice, good safeguarding does not depend on certainty. It depends on recognising that something may be wrong, taking immediate safety seriously, and making sure the concern reaches the right person or service.^[1]

In a pharmacy setting, concerns can arise very quickly: a disclosure at the counter, a child who seems frightened to leave, an adult who appears controlled, or a delivery that raises serious worry about safety. At Level 2, your task is not to investigate. It is to respond calmly, think about immediate risk, make a factual record, and use the correct escalation route.^[5][8][7]

A Practical Way to Think About It

When a concern arises, focus on four things:^{[3] [2]}

• Is anyone in immediate danger right now?
• What have I seen, heard, or been told?
• Who needs to know about this straight away?
• What is the correct internal or external route from here?

If there is immediate risk of serious harm, act urgently first and then inform the safeguarding lead as soon as possible.

That may mean contacting emergency services without delay. If the risk is not immediate, follow the pharmacy's safeguarding process promptly. In some situations, that may involve the safeguarding lead, a manager, social care, police, or another local safeguarding route. Early help may also be appropriate where there are emerging concerns rather than immediate danger.^[6][5][4][1]

Do Not Let the Concern Drift

One of the biggest safeguarding risks is hesitation. Staff sometimes tell themselves they will mention it later, wait for someone else, or see if it happens again. But concerns can easily get lost that way. If something has worried you enough to stay in your mind, it is usually worth raising. And if you feel the response is not adequate, it is appropriate to escalate further rather than assume the concern has been dealt with. Timely action is often what turns observation into protection.^[8][1][4]

References (numbered in text) Why we include references

1. HM Government. (2023). Working Together to Safeguard Children: Statutory guidance for organisations and practitioners. Find (opens in a new tab)
2. Department of Health & Social Care. (2014). Care Act 2014: Care and Support Statutory Guidance. Find (opens in a new tab)
3. Department for Education. (2018). Information sharing: Advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services to children, young people, parents and carers. Find (opens in a new tab)
4. Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE). Safeguarding adults: sharing information (guidance). Find (opens in a new tab)
5. General Pharmaceutical Council. (May 2017). Standards for Pharmacy Professionals. Find (opens in a new tab)
6. Home Office. (Statutory guidance). Modern Slavery: Guidance on identifying and supporting victims (England and Wales). Find (opens in a new tab)
7. Royal College of Nursing / Intercollegiate. (2018). Adult Safeguarding: Roles and Competencies for Health Care Staff. Find (opens in a new tab)
8. The Pharmaceutical Journal. (2018). How to recognise and respond to potential child abuse and neglect. Find (opens in a new tab)