When you’re working with adults with care and support needs in West Sussex, there are a number of schemes which you may need to be aware of, or which may be helpful for the adults you’re supporting. You can read about some of these, below.
If you’d like us to include any other schemes that you’re aware of, contact us to let us know.
Herbert Protocol
The Herbert Protocol is a form designed for carers, family, friends, or the adult themselves, to complete with information that may be beneficial if the adult goes missing. It is specifically intended for use with adults who have care and support needs, and may be at a higher risk of getting lost or going missing.
The form is intended to be completed as soon as there is a risk identified of the adult going missing or getting lost. This means that the form will be ready to share with police as soon as an incident occurs, which therefore relieves some of the pressure on family, friends, and carers during what is understandably a very stressful time.
For more information:
Hospital passports
Hospital passports are documents which are designed to be handed to staff in care settings when someone with care and support needs is admitted to a new setting. This includes, but is not limited to, hospital. It contains important information about the adult, including information about their needs, wishes, and preferences.
There are a variety of hospital passport formats available online which you can use and adapt, including the NHS’ My Care Passport.
Find out more:
Pegasus scheme
The Pegasus scheme is a police initiative to support people who find it difficult to communicate. This could be anyone who has a disability or illness that may make it difficult to communicate with the police in an emergency.
You can apply to the Pegasus scheme online, after which you’ll be issued with a card and personal identification number (a PIN number). This will enable police to access your details, without you needing to communicate them. In emergency situations you can show your card to a police officer or any other emergency service staff, and they will understand that you may need extra help and support.
For more information and to register:
Personal alarms, telecare, and key safes
If families, friends, or carers are concerned about the safety of someone they know, they may wish to consider whether a personal alarm, monitoring system, or key safe may help them to stay safe and independent at home.
Personal alarms support adults to call for help if they have a problem at home, including a fall which means that they cannot get to the phone. They can be carried or worn, or installed as a button or pull cord around the home.
Monitoring systems make use of sensors in the home to provide updates to a monitoring centre or family, friends, or carers. The sensors can alert to doors opening, flooding, smoke, gas, or appliances which have been left on.
Key safes are small boxes fixed to an outdoor wall. They contain a key to the property, which is accessed with a code. This means that family, friends, carers, or emergency services can get into the property, with the code, if the adult is unable to open the door.
For more information:
