First reported 21 Jul 2015•Latest report 25 Apr 2024
Definition
What this concern includes
Includes failures in police concern-for-welfare procedures and their dedicated controls, including current-version control, policy clarity, dissemination, staff awareness, understanding and application of the applicable welfare-check requirements.
Not included
Excludes the decision to accept, reject or follow up an individual welfare-check request where the specific deficiency is the request-handling process rather than the clarity or operation of the governing police procedure.
Excludes generic police training, communication, documentation or governance deficiencies unless they directly impair the concern-for-welfare procedure.
Excludes railway, ambulance, prison and healthcare welfare processes unless the assertion explicitly concerns the same police concern-for-welfare procedure.
Excludes failures occurring after the applicable procedure was clearly understood and correctly applied, including downstream attendance or protective action.
Reports
6
Distinct published reports
Individual concerns
10
A report can raise multiple concerns
Date range
2015–2024
First to latest report issue date
Stated actions
14
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.
Association Of British Neurologists1
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council1
College of Policing1
Crawley Borough Council1
Department of Health and Social Care1
Dorset County Council1
Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust1
Dorset Police1
Greater Manchester Police1
Home Office1
Lincolnshire Police1
London Ambulance Service NHS Trust1
Metropolitan Police Service1
National Police Chiefs’ Council1
NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board1
Police force4
NHS trust3
English county council2
Integrated care board2
Ministerial department2
National policing body2
English district council1
English unitary authority1
Professional body1
Registered charity1
Type not available1
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.
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.
Dorset
Concerns raised1
Ambiguity in Dorset Police policies for welfare concerns, missing persons, and call handling, grading and deployment
This report raised 11 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.4
Action
Embed the adopted missing-person policy changes into working practice.
Stated by Dorset PoliceStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 28 September 2022.
Action
Review the concern-for-welfare policy to incorporate current physical and mental ill-health trends and professional guidance.
Stated by Dorset PoliceStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 28 September 2022.
Action
Implement revised call-handling, deployment and grading policies with risk assessment and performance monitoring.
Stated by Dorset PoliceStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 28 September 2022.
Action
Evaluate how revised policies affect deployment decisions and complete the commissioned external audit.
Stated by Dorset PoliceStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 28 September 2022.
Lincolnshire
Concerns raised1
Lack of officer awareness of the Concern for Welfare Policy Document
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.
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
Recirculate the Concern for Welfare policy among Force Control Room staff and embed it in incident decision-making.
Stated by Lincolnshire PoliceStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 9 July 2021.
Action
Recirculate relevant guidance to Force Control Room officers and staff to reinforce policy awareness.
Stated by Lincolnshire PoliceStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 9 July 2021.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Position
Frontline officers need not know the Concern for Welfare Policy because it governs Force Control Room processes, not frontline guidance.
Stated by Lincolnshire PoliceDisputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
Manchester North
Concerns raised1
Unclear and delayed police-to-ambulance referral process for welfare concerns
This report raised 13 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
Review, revise and enhance multi-agency procedures through sessions involving all named partner organisations.
Stated by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care BoardStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 28 December 2018.
Action
Develop a pan-Greater Manchester response protocol defining roles, responsibilities, shared risk assessment, communication and escalation arrangements.
Stated by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care BoardStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 28 December 2018.
Action
Embed the response protocols within partner agencies and cascade them across their workforces through the Responding to Crisis Board.
Stated by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care BoardStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 28 December 2018.
West Sussex
Concerns raised1
Failure to equip social work staff with knowledge and training about police welfare-check criteria and appropriateness
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.
South London
Concerns raised5
Failure to share the final MPS Welfare Check policy with the London Ambulance Service
Unclear version control for the MPS Welfare Check policy
Failure of the MPS and LAS to meet to discuss joint working under the welfare checks policy
Failure to share welfare check policy changes with the London Ambulance Service
Lack of training for staff handling welfare check requests in the new policy
This report raised 7 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.4
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
Discuss the welfare-check policy and its impact for ambulance services at the next LAS/MPS Joint Working Group meeting.
Stated by London Ambulance Service NHS TrustStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 21 July 2015.
Action
Review and clarify joint LAS/MPS meeting arrangements to strengthen governance and ensure appropriate LAS representation.
Stated by London Ambulance Service NHS TrustStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned 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.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Position
The March 2015 Metropolitan Police welfare-check briefing is understood to be the current version in force.
Stated by London Ambulance Service NHS TrustDisputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.