Sam Rowlands, Member of the Welsh Parliament for North Wales, is backing the relaunching of an initiative to help police find missing people with dementia.
He said:
I am delighted to support North Wales Police who have relaunched ‘The Herbert Protocol, during National Dementia Week. The scheme helps to improve the chances of finding people quicker and safely.
As a keen supporter of any moves which ultimately helps and supports people suffering from dementia and their families, it is good to see the initiative being rolled out once again.
As an MS for North Wales I am always happy to support and help to highlight this illness and continue to raise awareness with Welsh Parliament.
‘The Herbert Protocol’ scheme is being re-introduced across North Wales as part of the National Dementia Action Week, May 15-21. It is an initiative originally developed by Norfolk Constabulary in 2011, and encourages family and carers to compile useful information which could be used in the event of a vulnerable person going missing.
The scheme is named after George Herbert, a War veteran of the Normandy landings, who lived with dementia. George continually went missing from his care home and the police would have to find him.
Carers, family members and friends can complete the form in advance, recording all vital details, such as medication required, mobile numbers, significant locations relating to the individual and a photograph. In the event of your family member or friend going missing, the form can be easily handed to the police to reduce the time taken in gathering this information.
Superintendent Owain Llewellyn from North Wales Police said:
Every minute is crucial in tracing missing people with complex vulnerabilities, including dementia and so having this information available could be very helpful to Police.
The Herbert Protocol encourages carers and families to record vital information on a form in advance, before a moment of crisis. Having this form to hand when a loved one is missing can speed up the search and mean the family or carers are not struggling to recall information when they are stressed.
Over the last six months, 50 individuals who have disclosed dementia, have been reported missing to North Wales Police, so we are pleased to be working closely with partner agencies on the further expansion of this initiative and we would encourage people with dementia, families and carers across the region to use this form so that it can be provided to Police if needed.
Working closely with the North Wales Safeguarding Board the initiative is being actively promoted whereby booklets and information leaflets are being distributed across pharmacies, hospitals, surgeries and dementia centres across the region.
Professor Tracey Williamson, Consultant Nurse for Dementia at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, which is a member of the North Wales Safeguarding Board said:
There are a little over 5,000 people with a known diagnosis of dementia in North Wales and an estimated 4,800 people undiagnosed with dementia.
As people live longer, there is expected to be a 64% increase of people living with dementia in North Wales between 2017 and 2035, which would mean around 7,000 more people living with the condition.“
By working together and promoting awareness of the Herbert Protocol, we can ensure people with dementia who go missing, have the best possible chance of being found quickly. The Herbert Protocol is not just about what someone might look like or be wearing. It can have valuable information such as what language a person with dementia now uses and what name they would respond to.
Sam Rowlands AS yn cefnogi lansio cynllun yn ystod Wythnos Dementia Prydain
Mae Sam Rowlands, Aelod o’r Senedd dros y Gogledd, yn cefnogi ail-lansio menter i helpu'r heddlu i ddod o hyd i bobl â dementia sydd ar goll.
Meddai:
Rwy'n falch iawn o gefnogi Heddlu Gogledd Cymru sydd wedi ail-lansio Protocol Herbert, yn ystod Wythnos Dementia. Mae'r cynllun yn helpu i wella'r siawns o ddod o hyd i bobl yn gyflymach ac yn ddiogel.
Fel cefnogwr brwd o unrhyw gamau i helpu a chefnogi pobl sy'n dioddef o ddementia a'u teuluoedd, mae'n dda gweld y fenter yn cael ei chyflwyno unwaith eto.
Fel AS Rhanbarthol y Gogledd, dwi’n wy na pharod i gefnogi a helpu bob amser i dynnu sylw at y salwch hwn a pharhau i godi ymwybyddiaeth gyda Senedd Cymru.
Mae cynllun ‘Protocol Herbert’ yn cael ei ailgyflwyno ledled y Gogledd fel rhan o Wythnos Gweithredu ar Ddementia, 15-21 Mai. Heddlu Norfolk ddatblygodd y fenter yn wreiddiol yn 2011, ac mae'n annog teulu a gofalwyr i gasglu gwybodaeth ddefnyddiol y gellid ei defnyddio pe bai person agored i niwed yn mynd ar goll.
Mae'r cynllun wedi'i enwi ar ôl George Herbert, cyn-filwr a fu’n rhan o Laniadau Normandi, a oedd yn byw gyda dementia. Roedd George yn mynd ar goll o'i gartref gofal byth a hefyd a byddai'n rhaid i'r heddlu chwilio amdano.
Gall gofalwyr, aelodau o'r teulu a ffrindiau lenwi'r ffurflen ymlaen llaw, gan gofnodi'r holl fanylion hanfodol, megis unrhyw feddyginiaeth ofynnol, rhifau ffôn symudol, lleoliadau arwyddocaol sy’n gysylltiedig â'r unigolyn a ffotograff. Os bydd aelod o'ch teulu neu ffrind yn mynd ar goll, gallwch roi'r ffurflen yn hawdd i'r heddlu er mwyn treulio llai o amser yn casglu'r wybodaeth hon.
Meddai Owain Llewellyn, Uwch-arolygydd Heddlu Gogledd Cymru:
Mae pob munud yn hollbwysig wrth chwilio am bobl sydd ar goll sydd â gwendidau cymhleth, gan gynnwys dementia, felly gallai'r wybodaeth hon fod o gymorth mawr i'r Heddlu.
Mae Protocol Herbert yn annog gofalwyr a theuluoedd i gofnodi gwybodaeth hanfodol ar ffurflen ymlaen llaw, cyn i argyfwng ddigwydd. Trwy gael ffurflen wrth law pan fydd rhywun annwyl ar goll, gallai helpu i gyflymu'r gwaith chwilio a golygu nad yw'r teulu neu'r gofalwyr yn cael trafferth cofio gwybodaeth pan fyddant dan straen.
Dros y chwe mis diwethaf, mae Heddlu Gogledd Cymru wedi cael gwybod am 50 o unigolion â dementia sydd wedi mynd ar goll, felly rydyn ni'n falch o fod yn gweithio'n agos gydag asiantaethau partner ar ehangu'r fenter hon ymhellach. Byddem yn annog pobl â dementia, teuluoedd a gofalwyr ledled y rhanbarth i ddefnyddio'r ffurflen hon fel bod modd ei chyflwyno i'r Heddlu os oes angen.
Gan weithio'n agos gyda Bwrdd Diogelu Gogledd Cymru, mae'r fenter yn cael ei hyrwyddo'n llawn mewn llyfrynnau a thaflenni gwybodaeth sy'n cael eu dosbarthu i fferyllfeydd, ysbytai, meddygfeydd a chanolfannau dementia ar hyd a lled y rhanbarth.
Dywedodd yr Athro Tracey Williamson, Nyrs Ymgynghorol ar gyfer Dementia ym Mwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr, ac aelod o Fwrdd Diogelu Gogledd Cymru:
Mae ychydig dros 5,000 o bobl y Gogledd â diagnosis hysbys o ddementia, ac amcangyfrifir bod 4,800 o bobl â dementia heb ddiagnosis.
Wrth i bobl fyw'n hirach, mae disgwyl cynnydd o 64% yn y nifer sy'n byw gyda dementia yn y Gogledd rhwng 2017 a 2035, a fyddai'n golygu bod tua 7,000 yn fwy o bobl yn byw gyda'r cyflwr.”
Trwy gydweithio a chodi ymwybyddiaeth o Brotocol Herbert, gallwn sicrhau bod gobaith o ganfod pobl â dementia sy'n mynd ar goll, yn gynt o lawer. Mae mwy i Brotocol Herbert na disgrifio golwg rhywun neu beth mae'n ei wisgo yn unig. Mae'n gallu cynnwys gwybodaeth werthfawr fel pa iaith mae'r sawl â dementia yn ei defnyddio bellach a pha enw y byddai'n ymateb iddo.
