TV star Vicky McClure visits West Midlands Police to see how it deals with people with dementia
The Line of Duty actress dropped into to see how West Midlands Police are supporting people with dementia.
Last updated 17th Oct 2024
TV star, Vicky McClure, has paid a visit to West Midlands Police to see how well the force is supporting people with dementia.
The Line of Duty actress is a campaigner for dementia and raises awareness of its issues.
Ms McClure visited the Force Contact Centre to learn about the Herbert Protocol, which officers use when people with dementia go missing.
The Herbert Protocol is a form that carers, family or friends of a vulnerable person, or the person themselves can fill in, and it contains information to help us if the person goes missing.
Vicky spoke with call handlers who are the first point of contact for people when they call 999. She also visited members of the force's vulnerabilities desk who support callers who have specific or additional needs.
Inspector Jemma Connor-Iommi and Superintendent Samantha Batey, Force Leads for Dementia Support, have been working with Vicky to help raise valuable awareness around dementia and the Herbert protocol both in Force and across the wider West Midlands region.
Insp Connor-Iommi, said: "Having worked on numerous dementia projects with Vicky over the last couple of years I’ve seen first-hand how passionate she is about ensuring dementia isn’t a postcode lottery across the country, and that all members of the dementia community get the best possible support from forces.
"It’s been great to welcome her into the West Midlands, and as a force we have lots of plans over the coming months to work with Vicky, our partners and the community to ensure the West Midlands is a dementia-friendly place to live, work and visit.”
Supt Batey, said: “We are committed to supporting people with dementia and those who care for them, but sadly our initial contact with them can often come at times of extreme vulnerability and concern.
“So we’re working hard to make that process straight-forward and supportive which will help us to resolve any missing episodes as quickly and safely as possible.”
Inspector Jemma Connor-Iommi and Superintendent Samantha Batey, our Force Leads for Dementia Support, have been working with Vicky to help raise valuable awareness around dementia and the Herbert protocol both in Force and across the wider West Midlands region.
Insp Connor-Iommi, said: "Having worked on numerous dementia projects with Vicky over the last couple of years I’ve seen first-hand how passionate she is about ensuring dementia isn’t a postcode lottery across the country, and that all members of the dementia community get the best possible support from forces.
"It’s been great to welcome her into the West Midlands, and as a force we have lots of plans over the coming months to work with Vicky, our partners and the community to ensure the West Midlands is a dementia-friendly place to live, work and visit.”
Supt Batey, said: “We are committed to supporting people with dementia and those who care for them, but sadly our initial contact with them can often come at times of extreme vulnerability and concern.
“So we’re working hard to make that process straight-forward and supportive which will help us to resolve any missing episodes as quickly and safely as possible.”
Vicky also spent time hearing about the work of the Locate team, which is a specialist unit dedicated to dealing with incidents where people have gone missing.
Vicky, who was awarded an MBE last December for her work in raising awareness for those with dementia, visited West Midlands Police on Monday as part of their commitment to becoming only the second force in the country to be dementia-accredited.