Family members and carers are being encourage to completing an online form which could prove vital to police if a vulnerable person, including those with dementia goes missing.
Greater Manchester Police have not adopted what is known as the Herbert Protocal, which allows officers to to access vital details if a vulnerable person with dementia is reported missing
Now relatives are carers are being urged to sign-up through Safe and Found Online
The information is then stored on Safe and Found Online and accessed by our officers when someone is reported missing.
The form, accompanied by a recent photograph, records vital information such as the person's physical description, medical conditions, mobile phone number, known locations or likely places they may visit, contact details of friends, and any other pertinent historical information.
Safe and Found Online is a digital information bank that encourages carers of vulnerable people who are at risk of going missing to compile useful information about them. This data can save vital time in putting together a search and rescue plan in a missing persons event.
Initially, Safe and Found Online ran a pilot for the Herbert Protocol with West Yorkshire Police and GMP is the next police force to adopt this online version of the protocol.
This means that if someone goes missing, the relevant police force in that area can access the information immediately and use it to make a risk assessment to find that person quicker.
Named after George Herbert, a decorated war veteran of the Normandy landings who was living with dementia.
George continually went missing from his care home with officers having to locate him. Norfolk Constabulary developed the protocol to help people living with dementia who had gone missing to get back to a place of safety as quickly as possible.
This originally focused on people in care homes, but in 2015 it was extended to include individuals living in their own home with dementia.
Joint project leads Chief Inspector Mark Mangnall and Detective Chief Inspector Pete Morley have been managing the online relaunch of the Herbert Protocol.
DCI Morley said: "The Herbert Protocol give us the opportunity to quickly locate some of our most vulnerable and at-risk missing people as quickly as possible. By sharing the new opportunities offered by Safe and Found Online with our communities of Greater Manchester, we can gather information as quickly as possible to keep our loved ones safe."
Families of people suffering from Alzheimer’s or dementia can go online to register information about their relative or loved one. In the event of someone going missing, the police can access vital information with immediate effect.
Previously, this information was stored on a paper form completed by the family or the care home of the Alzheimer’s or dementia patient. This could lead to delays in finding and accessing the information if the form couldn’t easily be located.
Whilst the preference is to ensure all relevant information is stored online, the paper form option will still be available to ensure that people without computers can still access it.
For more information around the Hebert Protocol visit https://safeandfoundonline.co.uk/herbert-protocol/index.html
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