The Launch of the Herbert Protocol

On Friday, 20th September, Peter and I attended Dorrington House Care Home in Wells, North Norfolk, for the launch of the Herbert Protocol. 

The salient points to take from the Protocol are:

“The Herbert Protocol is named after George Herbert, a decorated war veteran of the Normandy landings who had dementia. George continually went missing from his care home and the police would have to find him. Norfolk Constabulary developed the protocol to help people with dementia who had gone missing to get back to a place of safety as quickly as possible.

The protocol originally focused on people in care homes, but in 2015 it was extended to include individuals living in their own home with dementia. In November 2018 the Herbert Protocol was relaunched and extended again to include individuals with other types of memory loss, or other cognitive difficulties.”

In conjunction with Suffolk and Norfolk Safeguarding Adults Board, the launch was scheduled to take place during World Alzheimer’s Month and it was fitting that we all assembled at George Herbert’s care home. 

Peter was delighted to attend this launch and to lend his support to the protocol.  He described the online protocol as a great safety net, an “insurance policy” for people like him who might get ‘mislaid.’  The launch of this protocol would, Peter said, enable him to continue to be active, to live well and to achieve, all of which is key to his overall health and emotional well-being. 

During our presentation, I asked Peter if he felt having his details online might feel like an intrusion to his privacy.  In typical Peter fashion he eschewed such a notion and said it made perfect sense to be ‘signed up’ for this protocol which would provide peace of mind for his family and, of course, to him. 

Peter added that if he was unable to remain active (for fear of being lost/mislaid), then this was just one short step away from not being able to leave the house, from losing his independence, which would lead to increasing social isolation which, in turn, would potentially expedite the need for him to need care rather than support.

We were made very welcome by our fantastic links by Will from Suffolk Adult Safeguarding and Gail, with whom we have been working in terms of helping inform the Dementia Strategy.  These links have really ‘propelled’ us further in terms of getting Peter’s message out there.   

I am including all the links from Norfolk and Suffolk Police and Safeguarding Boards (which includes an excellent animation about the protocol. I hope that this article on Peter’s website will reach as many people as possible for whom this information is key.  Living well with memory impairment is hard work, so it makes perfect sense to do whatever we can to make it easier for those living with the condition and for those around them.