Recommendations - West Midlands Police, June 2021
This Death or Serious injury (DSI) investigation identified learning in relation to a doctor requesting a welfare check on a patient and police subsequent actions.
IOPC reference
Recommendations
The IOPC recommends that West Midlands Police create a policy on handling concern for welfare calls. This policy should cover the responsibility for informing third parties and should provide guidance for officers and staff members dealing with an enquiry relating to anyone raising concern for the welfare of another person.
This recommendation is made following a DSI investigation conducted following a Doctor calling the police to request a welfare check on a female patient. It was established that the patient had not been seen by her GP, her family or the Housing Association for over 12 months despite attempts at contact.
The Police made the decision not to attend the property as there was no evidence of immediate risk to the patient's life. Although this decision was documented, it has been established that there was confusion between the Force Control Room (FCR) Supervisor and the Response Sergeant in relation to whom had responsibility for notifying the Housing Association that police attendance was not required at a property where concerns for a person's welfare had been identified.
No further attendance at the property occurred until further reports were received, over a month later. Police forced entry and located the person deceased.
No clear guidance was available to clarify whose responsibility it was to inform third parties about the decision for police non-attendance. This responsibility needs to be established within Force Policy.
Had the police informed the Housing Association that the police would not be attending the property, and that they considered the Housing Association should establish if the female was at home, this may have led to the female being located earlier.
Do you accept the recommendation?
Yes
Accepted action:
The IOPC recommendations have been shared with Force Contact SLT & SME.
The new missing persons policy which was introduced in April 2021 includes a process map, escalation process and procedural guidance is underpinned by the APP definition of a missing person, it makes the starting point the definition and therefore reduces the ambiguity at the call handling stage, this will also be catered for in training, process, policy and practice;
Definition of ‘missing’
Anyone whose whereabouts cannot be established will be considered as missing until located, and their well-being or otherwise confirmed.
All reports of missing people sit within a continuum of risk from ‘no apparent risk (absent)’ through to high-risk cases that require immediate, intensive action.
This will reduce the ambiguity and regular reviews of concern for welfare logs will be undertaken.
The IOPC recommends that West Midlands Police create a detailed question set for call handlers responding to requests from external agencies to conduct welfare checks. The prompts should help call handlers to elicit key information to help inform decision making about who should attend.
This recommendation is made as the result of a case whereby a Doctor contacted the police to report a concern for the welfare of a patient. It was established that the patient had not been seen by her GP, her family or the Housing Association for over a year, despite attempts at contact.
The police determined that attendance by police officers was not required at the patient's property as there was no evidence that there was an immediate risk to the patient's life. This information was documented but the investigation established confusion between the Force Control Room Supervisor and the Response Sergeant. It was not determined who had responsibility for notifying the Housing Association that police attendance was not required at the property.
No further attendance at the property occurred until over a month later. Police then forced entry and located the female deceased.
A detailed question set should be produced to clarify and confirm;
•Whether or not police attendance is required
•If police attendance is not required; what organisation/third party has on-going responsibility
•Name of the person any information is relayed to
•To ensure that this information is recorded
Do you accept the recommendation?
No
Accepted action:
WMP have pre-existing framework via THRIVE + for all incident logs. And additional question framework of 12 key questions asked when a person is reported missing to police.
The IOPC recommends that West Midlands Police consider the benefits of implementing a protocol with relevant third parties, such as Housing providers, when dealing with any request for a welfare check.
This recommendation is made as the result of a case whereby a Doctor contacted the police to report a concern for the welfare of a patient. It was established that the patient had not been seen by her GP, her family or the Housing Association for over a year, despite attempts at contact.
The police determined that attendance by police officers was not required at the patient's property as there was no evidence that there was an immediate risk to the patient's life. This information was documented but the investigation established that there was some confusion between the Force Control Room Supervisor and the Response Sergeant, with regard to whom had responsibility for notifying the Housing Association that police attendance was not required at the property.
No further attendance at the property occurred until over a month later. Police then forced entry and located the female deceased.
Establishing a protocol between the force and any relevant Housing providers would assist in addressing and providing information and decisions regarding if/when/how the force responds to and views a request for welfare check. This could also ensure the correct of level of service is provided.
Do you accept the recommendation?
No
Accepted action:
The IOPC recommendations have been shared with Force Contact SLT & SME.
The new missing persons policy which was introduced in April 2021 includes a process map, escalation process and procedural guidance is underpinned by the APP definition of a missing person, it makes the starting point the definition and therefore reduces the ambiguity at the call handling stage, this will also be catered for in training, process, policy and practice;
Definition of ‘missing’
Anyone whose whereabouts cannot be established will be considered as missing until located, and their well-being or otherwise confirmed.
All reports of missing people sit within a continuum of risk from ‘no apparent risk (absent)’ through to high-risk cases that require immediate, intensive action.
This will reduce the ambiguity and regular reviews of concern for welfare logs will be undertaken.