The Herbert Protocol and The Philomena Protocol

The Herbert Protocol

The Herbert Protocol is a form containing key information about a person living with dementia, who is at risk of going missing. This information includes, but is not limited to, medication that the person needs; places they have previously been found; historic addresses, and a recent photograph. The form can be completed by family, friends or carers of the person living with dementia. Good practice should involve, where possible, a genuine engagement with the person to empower them to stay safe and identify anything that might increase their risk of going missing.

A completed Herbert Protocol form saves carers and loved ones the worry of trying to recall the information during the stressful time of someone going missing, and can be handed to the police at the time of a loved one being reported missing. It also saves time for the police, allowing the search and missing investigation to begin sooner. The Herbert Protocol has been widely introduced across Scotland as a tool to help safety plan for and support people living with dementia, who are at risk of going missing.

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The Philomena Protocol

The Philomena Protocol is an interactive electronic form that applies to young people in children’s homes who are at risk of going missing. The protocol requires staff with caring responsibilities to carefully and sensitively gather and upload relevant information, such as places a young person frequently visits and up to date photographs, so that they can risk assess and work with the young person to prevent them from going missing. It also enables staff at the home to work in partnership with the police to trace the young people as quickly as possible if they do go missing.

Philomena Protocol form

The Framework Implementation Project identified good practice in Edinburgh where measures exist within local hospitals to safeguard vulnerable adults with Dementia who may go missing from their wards, including The Pass Plan Protocol – a system devised and used by the Royal Edinburgh Hospital.

Pass Plan Protocol form

Accident and emergency at local hospitals in Edinburgh have a poster campaign to encourage patients to tell staff if they intend to leave should they no longer want to receive medical treatment. This prevents patients from being reported missing to Police Scotland unnecessarily by hospital staff. You can download a copy of these posters below.

Patient poster 1 Patient poster 2

Further, in regards to those at risk of missing who have dementia, a letter is sent to families and carers of individuals diagnosed with dementia on the Missing Person Operational Coordinator’s behalf as part of post-diagnostic care, and in instances where an individual with dementia has returned from missing, and did not previously have a Herbert Protocol form completed.

Regular training on The Herbert Protocol is delivered by Police Scotland across Edinburgh multiple times a year. This training is run in locations where professionals and people with dementia and their friends and family are likely to be in the community – e.g. hospitals, to church groups and GP surgeries. This raises awareness of missing as an issue, and allows professionals to be able to encourage friends and family of those living with dementia who are at risk of going missing to complete The Protocol, which can save valuable time at the beginning of a missing person investigation.

The Herbert Protocol and The Philomena Protocol

The Herbert Protocol

The Philomena Protocol

Good practice: Those at risk of missing who live with dementia in Edinburgh

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