First reported 28 May 2014•Latest report 10 Jun 2026
Definition
What this concern includes
Includes failures in the dedicated welfare-check request process, including deciding whether a request should be accepted or rejected, gathering and updating relevant information, managing information received after closure, communicating actions, and following up requests when the expected response is not received.
Not included
Excludes general missing-person, patient-location or emergency-response failures where a welfare-check request process is not the deficient control.
Excludes failures limited to locating or treating a person after a welfare check has been reliably arranged and followed up.
Excludes generic communication, training or documentation deficiencies unless they directly impair welfare-check request handling or follow-up.
Excludes welfare callbacks made when a patient cannot receive calls, where the distinct welfare-callback process is the supported concern.
Excludes safeguarding, adult-protection or care-assessment processes where the assertion does not specifically concern a welfare-check request.
Reports
12
Distinct published reports
Individual concerns
18
A report can raise multiple concerns
Date range
2014–2026
First to latest report issue date
Stated actions
23
Described in published responses
Reports over time
Reports over time
Reports about this concern issued each year.
* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.
Most frequent recipients
Most frequent recipients
Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.
London Ambulance Service NHS Trust2
Metropolitan Police Service2
North London NHS Foundation Trust2
Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust1
Cardiff & Vale University LHB1
College of Policing1
Department of Health and Social Care1
Home Office1
Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust1
Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust1
National Police Chiefs’ Council1
North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust1
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust1
The Unite Group PLC1
Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust1
NHS trust10
Ministerial department2
National policing body2
Police force2
Devolved government1
Local health board1
Public limited company1
Concerns and responses across reports
Only concerns grouped under this recurring concern are included. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.
Cheshire
Concerns raised1
Failure to apply clear criteria for determining whether welfare checks are healthcare related and should be accepted or rejected
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
Action
Introduce and implement Concern for Welfare Response Criteria Guidelines governing receipt, recording, escalation and ambulance responses.
Stated by North West Ambulance Service NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 13 August 2026.
Action
Meet with Okay Each Day and explain when ambulances will and will not be deployed for concern-for-welfare calls.
Stated by North West Ambulance Service NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 13 August 2026.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.3
Position
The Concern for Welfare policy was sufficient because the call lacked a verified location and confirmed physical or mental health need.
Stated by North West Ambulance Service NHS TrustExisting arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed.
Position
Other services must independently investigate whether an uncontactable person requires physical or mental healthcare.
Stated by North West Ambulance Service NHS TrustRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Position
NWAS cannot unilaterally provide welfare callouts for people whose needs or locations cannot be established.
Stated by North West Ambulance Service NHS TrustUnable to actThe respondent said that a constraint prevented them from taking the relevant action.
Kent and Medway
Concerns raised1
Failure to use a viable welfare-check pathway when the resident is not known to be at the address
This report raised 9 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.7
Action
Review Right Care Right Person and Missing Persons guidance jointly to identify clarifications supporting operational decision-making.
Stated by College of PolicingStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 28 July 2026.
Action
Identify emerging risk-based operational practice, including escalation routes to specialist missing person teams for uncertain incident classifications.
Stated by College of PolicingStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 28 July 2026.
Action
Produce interoperability guidance for ambiguous Right Care Right Person and Missing Persons cases, including escalation to appropriately trained specialist teams.
Stated by College of PolicingStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 28 July 2026.
Action
Develop an updated Concern for Welfare policy with practical scenarios addressing deployment and Local Missing Hub referral decisions.
Stated by Metropolitan Police ServiceStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 28 July 2026.
Action
Review guidance, training and quality-assurance arrangements so advice to callers is practical, achievable and aligned with partner-agency responsibilities.
Stated by Metropolitan Police ServiceStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 28 July 2026.
Action
Reinforce escalation and supervisory review when agency responsibility is uncertain, disputed or associated with increasing concern.
Stated by Metropolitan Police ServiceStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 28 July 2026.
Action
Incorporate learning from the case into ongoing MetCC training, briefings and governance processes.
Stated by Metropolitan Police ServiceStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 28 July 2026.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Position
Healthcare providers must undertake initial reasonable enquiries when a patient leaves a healthcare setting, using the most appropriate agency or agencies.
Stated by Metropolitan Police ServiceRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Inner North London
Concerns raised1
Delays in actioning welfare checks and physically attending rooms
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.3
Action
Change the Duty Manager rota geography to reduce each manager’s property coverage and improve responsiveness for room-entry requests.
Stated by Unite StudentsStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 28 January 2025.
Action
Review Emergency Control Centre call-handling procedures to improve triage and ensure staff ask questions that establish the basis and potential seriousness of enquiries.
Stated by Unite StudentsStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 28 January 2025.
Action
Provide 24/7 staffing at all sites to support student welfare and response capacity.
Stated by Unite StudentsStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 28 January 2025.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Position
The concern that the welfare-check request took hours to action is based on misinterpreted evidence, and the pre-escalation response was reasonable.
Stated by Unite StudentsDisputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
Manchester North
Concerns raised1
Lack of a legal requirement to request a welfare check before releasing consignments
This report raised 5 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
Action
Explore legislative and policy options to control the substance and address ethical frontline responses to welfare concerns.
Stated by Home OfficeStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 30 April 2024.
Avon
Concerns raised1
Absence of a welfare-check policy for primary care
This report raised 8 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
Action
Request close liaison and joint working with Avon and Somerset Police on welfare checks.
Stated by Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 24 May 2019.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Position
The police are responsible for the welfare-check policy, while the Trust will liaise and work jointly with them.
Stated by Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS TrustRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
South Wales Central
Concerns raised1
Delays in making and chasing-up welfare calls
This report raised 5 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
Action
Remind clinical contact centre leads to handle Protocol 23 overdose cases promptly.
Stated by Cardiff & Vale University LHB and Welsh Ambulance Services NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 24 September 2018.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Position
Demand-related capacity constraints make it challenging to undertake a robust welfare-call procedure consistently.
Stated by Cardiff & Vale University LHB and Welsh Ambulance Services NHS TrustUnable to actThe respondent said that a constraint prevented them from taking the relevant action.
Central and South East Kent
Concerns raised1
Lack of clear mandatory criteria for requesting police welfare checks for patients rated 'Red'
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
Inner North London
Concerns raised1
Failure to convey the need for urgent police intervention in a welfare-check request
This report raised 4 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.3
Position
The patient did not display behaviour indicating immediate risk, requiring detention, restraint, or an active police search.
Stated by North London NHS Foundation Trust and Whittington Health NHS TrustDisputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
Position
The patient was not considered an immediate risk requiring detention, restraint, or an active police search.
Stated by North London NHS Foundation Trust and Whittington Health NHS TrustDisputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
Position
Existing joint police protocols already govern communication about people who abscond or go missing, including conveying immediate-risk information.
Stated by North London NHS Foundation Trust and Whittington Health NHS TrustExisting arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed.
South London
Concerns raised7
Lack of checklist or question examples for eliciting sufficient welfare concern information
Lack of guidance on updating involved parties about changes in MPS actions
Failure to inform the GP when a welfare check request is downgraded
Lack of guidance on managing additional information received after welfare check closure
Failure to share welfare check policy changes with the London Ambulance Service
Failure to seek further clarification of the GP’s concerns before downgrading a welfare check request
Lack of guidance on managing welfare checks concerning an individual’s mental health
This report raised 5 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
Action
Provide the current Metropolitan Police welfare-check briefing note to address uncertainty about the policy version in force.
Stated by London Ambulance Service NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 21 July 2015.
Action
Incorporate the March 2015 Metropolitan Police welfare-check policy into the LAS/MPS Joint Memorandum of Understanding through the annual review process.
Stated by London Ambulance Service NHS TrustStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 21 July 2015.
Inner North London
Concerns raised1
Failure to take appropriate action after unanswered welfare-check callbacks
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Includes failures in the dedicated welfare-check request process, including deciding whether a request should be accepted or rejected, gathering and updating relevant information, managing information received after closure, communicating actions, and following up requests when the expected response is not received.
