New Independent Chair joins Norfolk Adults Safeguarding Board

Natalie Cowland will join the Norfolk Safeguarding Adults Board (NSAB) from 1 April, leading the board in its mission to make Norfolk a safer place for adults with care and support needs.

Natalie comes to NSAB from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) where she was Head of Organisational Learning, Quality and Improvement. Before this she had a 30-year career with the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) which includes a significant background in multi-agency collaboration with 15 years' strategic experience across policing and regulatory health settings. She has worked in safeguarding settings at every level, leading teams dealing with complex adult protection investigations, leading MPS's response to all statutory safeguarding reviews including Safeguarding Adult Reviews (SARs), work with the Continuous Policing Improvement Command and with National Counter Terrorism.

Natalie takes over as Independent Chair from Heather Roach, who joined in July 2021. In that time Heather has led on a variety of complex projects including post-pandemic recovery, overseeing nationally significant Safeguarding Adult Reviews into Cawston Park and other reviews.

During this time the Board has also led campaigns to raise awareness of mental capacity, the Herbert Protocol, hoarding and abuse, and delivered training, resources and support to hundreds of professionals across Norfolk. The Board also provides vital accountability for victims and their families through leading and publishing safeguarding adult reviews.

NSAB's role is to provide independent oversight of services that support adults with care and support needs, and help protect people from abuse, reduce the risk of abuse and support people to stop abuse where it happens. NSAB is made up of partner agencies including senior representatives from: acute hospitals, adult social services, police, Integrated Care Board (ICB), Norfolk Fire & Rescue, Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Norfolk, district councils, probation service, prison service, public health, University of East Anglia, Healthwatch, voluntary sector and a local county councillor.

Natalie Cowland, incoming NSAB Independent Chair, said "I have the privilege of being appointed as the chair of Norfolk's Safeguarding Adults Board. I am looking forward to working with partners from across all sectors to ensure we provide the best possible services for our communities and to hearing the voices of people with lived experiences."

Heather Roach, outgoing Chair, said "I want to send my sincere thanks to everyone associated with the board, and with safeguarding, in Norfolk. I have had the opportunity and privilege to work alongside many organisations in Norfolk in developing recommendations from Safeguarding Adult Reviews that have led to national changes, as well as those more local, and been involved in some innovative ways to raise awareness of safeguarding issues and work for better outcomes for people. There is no substitute for speaking directly to practitioners, providers and our communities to understand what matters to them, and to find ways to support and encourage them. This is undoubtedly what the board is really good at, and I'm delighted to pass over this work to Natalie as she seeks to develop the work of the board even further.

NSAB's website provides a wide range of advice and resources for people working with adults with care and support needs. You can find more information at www.norfolksafeguardingadultsboard.info.