Practice No.
136 / Version 3 / Page 1 of 3 / Last up-dated
July 2008
Reference: 10/06 / HCC SSD 20/08 / ACPO 2005

MISSING PERSONS

A missing person is ‘Anyone whose whereabouts is unknown, whatever the circumstances of their disappearance.’ (ACPO 2005)

This summarises the procedure to be followed in all Residential, Nursing, Day Care or Community based units when a service user is discovered to be missing. These arrangements ensure that every action is carried out as quickly as possible to find any missing service user.

  1. Staff should be aware of the whereabouts of all residents and service users as far as is practical.
  1. If a resident or service user isknown to have a tendency to leave theirhome,or is known to be at risk of leaving, a risk assessment must be recorded.
  1. Where a Telecare bracelet or necklace, such as the Vivatek safety confirmation device, is available, the individual may be asked if they would like to use this in order to alert staff if they leave the building. All such alerts must be responded to immediately.
  1. All residents’ and service users’ files must contain an up to date photograph which takes into consideration any changes in appearance created by poor health. The key worker is responsible for this as part of the care planning process. Where there is an identified risk, a daily record of clothing needs to be maintained. This is to assist the Police in any necessary search for the service user.
  1. Particular attention should be paid to safety in summer, when external doors are likely to be open.

5. All incidents of a missing service user must be reported on the incident reporting system, and a Regulation 37 report made to the Commission for Social Care Inspectorate.

6.A full record of the incident must be recorded in the service user’s file. This may best be done by having a paper recording sheet in a prominent place, to enable all staff to record timed and dated actions as soon as they have been taken.

On discovery that a resident or service user may be missing

  • Inform the duty manager and alert ALL staff immediately, do not waituntil you have searched, someone else may know where they are. If the individual has not been seen at all during the current shift, it may be necessary to contact staff from the previous shift, to ascertain when the individual was last seen
  • Check that the individual has not gone out ‘legitimately’ i.e. to a hospital appointment or out with relatives
  • Make a thorough search of the building, grounds and out buildings, including bathrooms, service areas and cupboards. One member of staff should be assigned to search the local area, as the ‘missing’ person may have gone for a walk and be close by. This should be done as quickly as is possible and should include ALL areas, whether or not they are locked.
  • If the Registered Manager is not already aware, at this point you should contact him/her, or if they are not available, the Service Manager, and inform them that you need to contact the police. If neither is immediately available, proceed directly to notifying the police. It is important that you do not delay in doing this, so – Don’t wait for your phone call to be returned. Whatever the circumstances, if the individual has not been seen for more than two hours, the police MUST be informed.
  • The Police will need :-

For the person - a recent photograph, name, date of birth, significant details.

a description of the clothing the missing person is wearing.

information on the person’s expected mental capacityany other contextual information you might be able togive them e.g. where the person used to live and may be heading for

details of next of kin as the missing person may be going to visit family.

You will not be breaching confidentiality in giving this information to a police officer, and seemingly insignificant information may be relevant in tracing the individual.

The Duty Manager should be given as the point of contact for the police to liaise with the home or unit.

Be aware that the police investigation must consider the worst possible scenario and they may also wish to search the home. In this eventuality all staff will need to be aware of the effect this may have on all residents or service users. The Duty Manager will brief all staff on how this should be approached.

  • At this point you should contact the family / next of kin. You will need to take time to reassure them that all steps have been taken to locate their relative. Ask them for any suggestions as to where the individual may be going, people or places they may have been talking about and have gone to visit. Be aware that the family are likely to be upset and angry and you will need to be calm and reassuring whilst being clear that all efforts are being made to locate the person.
  • Immediately the person has been located, the family, the registered Manager and Service Manager must be informed. However, if the person has been located by the police, dependent on the circumstances, it may be appropriate that the police inform the family.
  • Manager will be aware that all staff may require support following such an incident and will debrief the staff team on the incident and discuss practice for preventing further incidents.

Action plan for a ‘missing person’ situation

On identification of a suspected ‘missing’ person

If the person cannot be found

Contact Names & Numbers:

EACH HOME/ DAY CENTRE/ CRT TEAM TO COMPLETE DETAILS

Local Police Contact and Telephone Number: ……………………………………….…

Registered Manager: ……………………………………………….……………………..

Service Manager/s: …………………………………………………………………………

CountyManager:………………………………………………………………………….…

Director of Residential, Nursing & Day Care:…………………………………………..

Next of Kin: Contact Numbers held ………………………………………………….…...

Commission for Social Care Inspection fax to :- 01622 724980

Completed Regulation 37 Form can be e-mailed to