1. Adults Who Go Missing From Care Settings in Scotland
Lothian and Scottish Borders - J Division
Superintendent James Royan
10th November 2016

2. Background

3. Partnership Protocol - Development

4. The Protocol

5. Pilot Divisions: J Division: 4 Local Authorities Population of 462,000
7,993 with Dementia / Alzheimer’s Diagnosis
65 Care Homes
L Division
2 Local Authorities
Population of 182,000
3,339 with Dementia / Alzheimer’s Diagnosis
39 Care Homes
G Division
Population of 777,000
12,041 with Dementia / Alzheimer’s Diagnosis
153 Care Homes

6. Table 1 – Total Number of People in Scotland with a Dementia Diagnosis
Provenance: Alzheimer’s Scotland
Scotland has 90,000 individuals with a diagnosis of dementia.
Increasing number
Living longer
Long term, increasing cohort of vulnerable people.

7. Table 2 – Total Number of Dementia Missing Person Reports
Provenance: STORM Command and Control
40,000 reports of missing person received by Police Scotland every year
Dementia related calls account for approximately 2% - 3% of all missing person incidents
Consistent across United Kingdom
Substantially more incidents relating to diagnosis in community

8. Table 3 – Total Number of Care Homes and CHP’s
Provenance: Divisional Missing Person Operational Coordinators
Number of CHP’s is very low
16,925 care home residents with dementia diagnosis
73% of missing person reports from care homes individual has no CHP

9. Table 4 – Resource Allocation - Missing Person Incidents
Provenance: STORM Command and Control
Resource allocation for dementia incidents demonstrably higher
Required for lifetime of incident
2 to 4 times number of resources required for each dementia related incident
Commensurate pressure on maintenance of service delivery

10. Case Studies: G Division J Division L Division
JT is a 79-year-old male with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s.
Resident in a care home and identified as a candidate for the CHP following an assessment process.
Subsequently been reported as a missing person several times by staff, found quickly each time using CHP.
J Division
RP is an 85-year-old male with a diagnosis of dementia
Resident at a care home.
Despite his age, RP was mobile and had previously gone missing on a number of occasions, generally attempting to find his wife.
Despite this, staff at the care home had not placed RP on a CHP.
16th of January 2016 RP reported as a missing person
RP traced 10 hours later
Suffering from severe exposure.
L Division
PS is a 76-year-old male with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s
Very mobile and subject to CHP protocol.
Missing twice and successfully traced utilising CHP
Initial report of missing person identified process issues

11. Recommendations
The protocol should be fully adopted into the National Missing Person Strategy.
The Care Home Protocol (CHP) should be extended to those with a diagnosis living in the community.
The CHP should be available to download / fill-in online on the Police Scotland intranet and through third sector partners.
The protocol should be implemented at the point of diagnosis, signposted by the patient’s GP.
Further research / consultation should be undertaken with third sector agencies with a view to their involvement in the signposting process.
Further research / consultation should be undertaken to include the CHP as an accepted standard within the Care Inspectorate review processes to drive consistent participation.
A robust risk assessment should be developed around the CHP referral process including consultation with appropriate partners.
The term ‘Care Home Plan’ should no longer be used and a suitable alternative determined.