First reported 21 Aug 2013•Latest report 19 May 2026
Definition
What this concern includes
Includes failures of controls dedicated to the missing-person response, such as staff understanding of the procedure, risk classification, communication of status, searches, escalation, agency coordination and family notification.
Not included
Excludes generic delays in escalation or communication that are not explicitly connected to a missing-person response.
Excludes unrelated patient-deterioration, emergency-response or clinical-escalation failures.
Excludes general accessibility or communication deficiencies concerning visits, relatives or care unless they concern notification or coordination within a missing-person response.
Reports
45
Distinct published reports
Individual concerns
75
A report can raise multiple concerns
Date range
2013–2026
First to latest report issue date
Stated actions
112
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.
Metropolitan Police Service8
College of Policing7
Greater Manchester Police5
Department of Health and Social Care4
Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust4
West Midlands Police4
East London NHS Foundation Trust3
Home Office3
National Police Chiefs’ Council3
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust3
Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust2
NHS England2
North London NHS Foundation Trust2
Sussex Police2
Association Of British Neurologists1
Police force28
NHS trust22
National policing body8
Ministerial department6
Integrated care board3
Executive non-departmental public body2
Registered charity2
Type not available2
Charitable incorporated organisation1
English county council1
English metropolitan district council1
English unitary authority1
External territorial police force1
London borough council1
Multi-service care provider1
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.
Surrey
Concerns raised1
Lack of a missing-person plan with timeframes and escalation steps for leave
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.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
West Sussex
Concerns raised3
Mismatch between AWOL and missing-person risk assessment grading criteria
Inadequate monitoring and progression of missing-person investigations
Failure to trigger specialist-officer interventions for vulnerable or high risk missing persons
This report raised 6 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.9
Action
Embed the completed Missing Persons Template, protocol and joint action plan into the revised multi-agency AWOL policy and practice.
Stated by Sussex PoliceStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 3 February 2022.
Action
Revise the multi-agency AWOL Policy and embed the missing persons template, protocol and action plan into policy and practice.
Stated by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation TrustStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 3 February 2022.
Action
Escalate medium-risk missing-person reports without an assigned officer within two hours to G99 and, if necessary, the Critical Incident Manager.
Stated by Sussex PoliceStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 3 February 2022.
Action
Notify the investigation officer when a missing person’s location is identified and escalate cases without an assigned officer to G99 or the Critical Incident Manager.
Stated by Sussex PoliceStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 3 February 2022.
Action
Have the Duty Inspector support sergeants by dip-checking threat assessments and the quality and sufficiency of lines of enquiry for medium-risk cases from mental health facilities.
Stated by Sussex PoliceStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 3 February 2022.
Action
Review Sergeants’ existing missing-person training to include obtaining and assessing information and intelligence.
Stated by Sussex PoliceStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 3 February 2022.
Action
Co-develop a joint missing persons action plan defining proportionate actions and tasks for finding missing patients.
Stated by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation TrustStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 3 February 2022.
Action
Review the Missing Person Team’s terms of reference to identify enhancements to its support during the initial response phase.
Stated by Sussex PoliceStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 3 February 2022.
Action
Co-develop a missing persons template and accompanying protocol for timely information-sharing and joint risk assessment.
Stated by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation TrustStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 3 February 2022.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
Position
Command responsibility for medium-risk missing persons will remain with sergeants because transferring it could reduce oversight through increased inspector demand.
Stated by Sussex PoliceUnable to actThe respondent said that a constraint prevented them from taking the relevant action.
Position
The Missing Person Team cannot take all investigations from first report because it is small and lacks 24/7 cover.
Stated by Sussex PoliceUnable to actThe respondent said that a constraint prevented them from taking the relevant action.
Inner North London
Concerns raised1
Failure to record safety-critical contacts in missing-person and occurrence records
This report raised 2 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.
West Yorkshire Eastern
Concerns raised1
Failure to notify police when a patient at suicide risk goes missing
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.2
Action
Review and revise the Missing Service User Procedure to incorporate learning from the incident.
Stated by Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation TrustStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 4 November 2021.
Action
Ratify and disseminate the revised Missing Service User Procedure and adjust associated training as required.
Stated by Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation TrustStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 4 November 2021.
Manchester North
Concerns raised1
Lack of GMP Officers’ knowledge and understanding of ACT marker levels and their implications for missing from home investigations
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.1
Action
Communicate key changes and learning from relevant policies and guidance to operational officers and staff through a comprehensive communication plan.
Stated by Greater Manchester PoliceStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 28 May 2021.
Surrey
Concerns raised1
Lack of a written timeframe for reporting informal patients missing when they fail to return at the agreed time
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.3
Action
Develop a standalone written policy governing informal-patient leave, including risk assessment, leave decisions, risk management, recording and missing-person reporting.
Stated by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation TrustStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 6 January 2021.
Action
Update the Section 17 Leave Policy and Absent Without Leave Policy with guidance on reporting patients missing after agreed leave.
Stated by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation TrustStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 6 January 2021.
Action
Roll out a competency framework to train staff on the new and updated leave policies and their practical application.
Stated by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation TrustStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 6 January 2021.
Newcastle upon Tyne and North Tyneside
Concerns raised2
Failure to allocate a police point of contact for the family of a medium-risk missing person
Lack of a multiagency meeting structure for reported missing persons
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 Yorkshire (Western)
Concerns raised1
Mishandling of missing person's reports
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
Maintain the Smart Contact incident-management system with trained communications staff and ongoing developmental training.
Stated by South Yorkshire PoliceStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 7 January 2021.
Action
Implement the Compact information-technology system for managing and recording persons reported missing.
Stated by South Yorkshire PoliceStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 7 January 2021.
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
Concerns raised1
Insufficient clarity of police guidance for missing-person risk-level decisions
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 promptly and fully utilise patients’ friends in missing-person searches
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.
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 of controls dedicated to the missing-person response, such as staff understanding of the procedure, risk classification, communication of status, searches, escalation, agency coordination and family notification.
