Safeguarding vulnerable older people is the responsibility of all healthcare professionals, but what this means in reality and how it can be achieved in practice is not always well understood. This article provides guidance on how government initiatives can be used by nurses to improve the care of older people. The article identifies criteria for determining when a concern should be raised as a safeguarding alert and when neglect may be occurring. A positive culture encompassing zero tolerance of poor care in the hospital setting is advocated.