What is The Herbert Protocol?

When a friend or family member with dementia goes missing it can be incredibly distressing.

The Herbert Protocol is a national initiative which encourages carers to keep a record of key information that could be useful to them in the event of a vulnerable person going missing.

The Cambridgeshire Constabulary have set up the scheme locally, alongside partners including the Dementia Action Alliance.

Carers are being asked to download the form, fill it in and keep it updated so that it is ready to hand or send to them should it ever be needed. This will help to save vital time when locating the missing vulnerable person you care for.

Helpful information includes phone numbers, places the person often goes, medication they are taking, a photograph of them and more.

This form is not intended to replace existing safeguarding or security measures.

Download a copy of the herbert protocol form.

Six out of ten falls happen in the home or garden. Improving safety in the home can help prevent you from having falls and injuring yourself, whilst allowing you to continue to live independently.

Visit our interactive Steady on Your Feet Home Safety checklist to help you identify hazards and improve the safety of your home.

Falls are not an inevitable part of ageing and many can be prevented. Use our Steady on Your Feet self-assessment tool to help you understand what is putting you at risk of falling and the simple things you can do to help yourself stay steady, mobile and independent. The short, interactive risk checker will provide you with a personalised action plan at the end with helpful advice and action you can take to stay active and doing the things you enjoy.

Strength and balance exercises

We all want to continue to share our lives with loved ones as we get older, such as playing with grandchildren and socialising with friends. Simple strength and balance exercises twice a week are proven to keep you stronger for longer, independent and enjoying the great things in life, whether by joining a class or doing it yourself at home.

For more information on classes and activities in your area, take a look at the Healthy Peterborough web pages 

Peterborough City Council's Safe+Well Service is provided by NRS Healthcare

This service can help you choose daily living aids or guide you to other local services which may help to make your life easier at home.

Safe+Well™ questionnaire free assessment tool 

Get the right daily living aid for you

Use the Safe+Well™ free assessment tool to get the right daily living aid for you. Safe+Well™ can help you whether you are disabled, a carer, or simply need some help at home due to age or illness.

The right aids for you

Knowing what aids are available to help you, and which ones are right for your needs can be difficult. Our simple questionnaire helps guide you to the right type of product for your needs.

We will tell you where you can buy them

And we will tell you where you can buy the items, either on the web, or locally at a store near you. (You can find a suggested list on our partners page if there are local stores we recommend – but others also stock a range of items).

Start the questionnaire and answer the simple questions

Simply start the questionnaire and answer the simple questions. You don’t need to log in, give any personal details or register. You can see the products recommended, how they work, and even see videos of them in action.

Open the assessment tool

Free Safe+Well™ Telecare Advice

View the Safe+Well™ Telecare Advice web page to find advice on how to get help at home at the touch of a button.

Free Safe+Well™ Local Demonstration

Try out daily living aids at a venue close to home.

View the Safe+Well™ Local Demonstration webpage to use an online form to let us know if you are interested in attending a local demonstration & advice clinic to see daily living aids.

Safe+Well™ Occupational Therapist visit

Arrange a visit in the comfort of your own home for special advice on your personal circumstances.

View the Safe+Well™ Occupational Therapist Visit web page to use an online form to let us know if you are interested in an occupational therapist visiting you at your home to provide a full assessment

Free Safe+Well™ Telephone Advice Line

A quick and easy way to help you choose the right daily living aid.

View the Safe+Well™ Telephone Advice Line web page to use an online form to let us know you are interested in a qualified person calling you on the telephone to see what daily living aids may help you.

Buy daily Living aids

All the Safe+Well™ registered retailers have undergone additional training and monitoring so you can be assured you are buying from a trusted shop.

View the Safe+Well™ Where can I buy daily living Aids web page to:

• Visit an online shop, call on 0345 121 8111

• Or, find a list of local retailers details and contact information.

Contact Safe+Well™

• Contact Safe+Well™ on 01480 415719

• Or, for more information visit www.safeandwell.co.uk/cambridgeshire.

Do you have any worries or concerns?

We all want to do the best for our loved ones, and to help them stay safe, well and independent.

You may have noticed a change in behaviour. Maybe you are concerned about their wellbeing or ability to take care of themselves. 

There are lots of reasons why you may be concerned about someone. You will find details of some of the most common causes for concern on our 'Worried about a friend or family member' web page. Most people want to remain living independently in their own homes for as long as possible. There may be simple ways you can help them to do this.

What is a Safe and Well visit?

Safe and Well Visits are available to those who are most vulnerable in our community.

This may include those who smoke, have a disability or mental health problems and are prioritised according to individual risk.

They visit residents in their homes, and they assess six key elements. Their visits usually last around one hour, and are completely free of charge.

1. Fire safety in the home - including cooking, general safety and escape plans.
2. Falls prevention - including simple remedial action such as replacing lightbulbs or taping down loose carpet.
3. Alcohol use - Alcohol related hospital admissions are steadily increasing. illness in the over 65s is on the increase. We can provide you with helpful information.
4. Stay well and warm - Can you afford to heat your home? Do you have access to a hot meal? Do you access the all the services available to you?
5. Crime reduction - We can provide advice on making your home more secure in addition to advice to make you less vulnerable to scams or fraud
6. Smoking - need a helping hand to quit? Our partners can offer you the help and advice you need to stop smoking.

They can also provide advice in relation to promoting the health and safety of individuals with hoarding concerns, as well as providing valuable information to care providers.

Who is entitled to a FREE visit ?

Safe and Well Visits are available to those who are most vulnerable in our community.

This may include those who smoke, have a disability or mental health problems and visits are prioritised according to individual risk. Find out if someone is eligible for a free safe and well visit by completing a short questionnaire or contact the automated message line on 0800 917 9994 and leave a message including the persons name, address and daytime phone number to receive a call back.

Different types of scams

There are many different scams you need to be aware of and to know how to avoid.

Which Consumer Rights produces an article providing advice on: 

• Doorstep selling
• Nuisance calls and texts
• Uunwanted post and scams
• Staying safe on dating websites
• Pension scams
• Internet scams

Doorstep safety

Be careful who you invite into your home. Everyone is vulnerable to cold callers and it is often hard to say ‘no’. Research shows that this is particularly true for elderly consumers who are often targeted by rogue salespeople and people offering to carry out work on their home or garden. 

Trading Standards offer a free sticker that goes on your front door with the message “we do not buy or sell at the front door”. Traders who ignore this message may be committing a criminal offence. You may also collect a sticker from Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline by calling on 03454 04 05 06

For further information or if you have an enquiry relating to rogue traders, cowboy builders, telephone and mail scams please contact Trading Standards.

Friends Against Scams 

Friends Against Scams is a National Trading Standards (NTS) Scams Team initiative, which aims to protect and prevent people from becoming victims of scams by empowering communities to "Take a Stand Against Scams".

Friends Against Scams has been created to tackle the lack of scams awareness by providing information about scams and those who fall victim to them. This information enables communities and organisations to understand scams, talk about scams and cascade messages throughout communities about scams prevention and protection.

Friends Against Scams encourages communities and organisations to take the knowledge learnt and turn it into action.

Anybody can join Friends Against Scams and make a difference in their own way. Take a look at their website to find out more information.

Abuse

All adults aged 18 years and over should be able to live free from fear and harm and have their rights and choices respected.

Abuse can happen anywhere – in a residential or nursing home, in someones own home, in a hospital, in the workplace, at a day centre or educational establishment, in supported housing or in the street.  

Information on recognising abuse can be found on our Recognising Abuse page.

Who to call

If you have a concern, suspicion or allegation that an adult is being subjected to harm, abuse or neglect you should contact:

Non-urgent referrals - Peterborough Adult Social Care

• 01733 747474 (9am to 5pm Monday to Friday)
• email adultsocialcare@peterborough.gcsx.gov.uk

Emergency referrals

Within office hours - Peterborough Adult Social Care

• 01733 747474 (9am to 5pm Monday to Friday)

Outside office hours - Emergency Duty Team 

• 01733 234724

If you think a crime has taken place, you may call the Police on 101 for non-emergencies or 999 in an emergency.

More information about safeguarding adults

More information can be found on the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Safeguarding Adults Board page

If your concern relates to a child or young person, please visit Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Safeguarding Children Board 

What is Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS)?

The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards aim to protect people in care homes, hospitals and supported living from being inappropriately deprived of their liberty.

More information on DoLS is available on our Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards page 

Need urgent help but can't speak?

'Make Yourself Heard’ campaign launched to raise awareness of silent 999 system.

What to do if you need urgent police help through the 999 service but can't speak

The Silent Solution system enables a 999 mobile caller who is too scared to make a noise, or speak, to press 55 when prompted – to inform police they are in a genuine emergency.

The system is well-established in North Yorkshire and the rest of the UK but is only effective if the public know and understand how it works. It could, in extreme situations, potentially save a life.

Safeguarding links

• Safeguarding adults from abuse and neglect

• Keeping adults safe from abuse and neglect - easy read version

New scheme launched for people with communication difficulties

Cambridgeshire Constabulary has launched a scheme to improve the service it provides to people with communication difficulties.

Cambridgeshire is among a handful of forces nationwide to implement the Pegasus scheme, which is free-to-join for residents.

It allows police officers and call handlers to quickly find members’ personal details and how they prefer to communicate.

Pegasus scheme

Through Pegasus, information which was previously difficult to provide in tough situations can be accessed immediately, meaning call takers can skip to why they need police.

Each member is given a unique PIN on a card and key fob, and has their name, address and communication preference held on a secure database, which, with their consent, can be shared with other emergency services.

Sign up for the scheme

To sign up for the scheme, fill out the form on the force’s website.

Carers for those with communication difficulties are able to register on their behalf.

With scams on the rise, online safety is key. AgeUK share some of the risks of using the internet and what to do if you think you've been a target of scams or fruad.

What is Cuckooing?

Cuckooing is where people take over a person’s home and use the property for illegal activity - dealing and/or storing drugs, sex working - as well as somewhere for a group to live or financially exploit the tenant. It takes the name from cuckoos who take over the nests of other birds.

Who is most vulnerable to cuckooing

Exploiters establish a relationship with the vulnerable person to access their home. Once they gain control over the victim - whether through drug dependency, debt or as part of their relationship - larger groups will sometimes move in. Threats are often used to control the victim.

You can read more details on the council's Cuckooing webpage

You can also view our Cuckooing Easy Read leaflet