Herbert Protocol Scotland: Protecting a Parent with Dementia Who Wanders

The phone call every dementia carer dreads: your parent has left the house and nobody knows where they are. In Scotland, Police Scotland reports that people with dementia account for a significant proportion of missing person searches — and the first hours are critical, especially in cold weather or near water.

The Herbert Protocol exists to compress the time between a 999 call and an effective search. Named after George Herbert, a Normandy veteran who lived with dementia and died after going missing in 2011, it is a standardised form you fill in now — while things are calm — and hand to police if your parent ever goes missing.

How the Herbert Protocol Works

The Herbert Protocol is not an alarm system or a tracking device. It is a pre-completed information pack that gives police everything they need to start searching immediately, without spending the first critical hour asking you questions while you are panicking.

The form captures:

• Physical description and a recent photograph — height, build, hair colour, distinguishing features, and what they typically wear when going out
• Medical conditions, medications, and GP details — so officers know if there is a time-critical medication need
• Historical locations — childhood homes, former workplaces, schools, churches. People with dementia often walk toward places from their past, not their present
• Behavioural patterns — how they react to strangers, whether they carry a phone or bank card, whether they are drawn to specific landmarks like parks, bus stops, or water
• Routine walking routes — the paths they take when they do go out independently

You keep the completed form at home in an accessible location (not locked away). If your parent goes missing, you hand it directly to the attending officers or read it over the phone to the police control room.

Update it every six months. Appearance changes, medication changes, and behavioural patterns shift as dementia progresses. An outdated form is better than no form, but a current one saves more time.

Purple Alert: Scotland's Community Search App

Purple Alert is a free mobile app developed by Alzheimer Scotland. When a vulnerable person goes missing, a Purple Alert notification is sent to registered users in the local area with the person's photo and description.

Think of it as a community early-warning system that runs alongside the formal police search. Registered volunteers — shop workers, dog walkers, taxi drivers — receive the alert and can report sightings directly through the app.

You can register your parent on Purple Alert in advance (with their consent where possible) so that their details are already in the system if an alert needs to be triggered.

Telecare and GPS Tracking Options

For families wanting active monitoring rather than reactive search tools, Scotland's local Health and Social Care Partnerships provide telecare services — usually following an occupational therapy or social work assessment.

Options available through most Scottish councils include:

• GPS tracking pendants or watches — your parent wears a device that you can locate via a mobile app or by calling the council's monitoring centre. Some devices allow you to set a "geofence" — a boundary area that triggers an alert if your parent crosses it
• Door sensors and motion detectors — alerts you or the monitoring centre if an external door opens at unusual times (such as 3am)
• Community alarm pendants — a wearable button your parent can press to call for help. Less useful for advanced dementia, since pressing the button requires awareness, but valuable in earlier stages

Telecare equipment is often provided free of charge following a needs assessment, though some councils charge a small weekly fee (typically £3-£5 per week) for the monitoring service.

You can also buy commercial GPS trackers privately. Look for devices with at least 2-3 days of battery life, SOS button functionality, and two-way calling. The council-provided options are usually more reliable because they connect to a 24-hour monitoring centre rather than relying on a family member to notice an alert.

Putting It All Together

No single measure prevents wandering — it is a symptom of the disease, not a behaviour you can train out. The practical approach is layered:

1. Complete the Herbert Protocol form and keep it accessible
2. Register your parent on Purple Alert
3. Request a telecare assessment through your local HSCP for GPS tracking and door sensors
4. Adapt the home environment — see the home safety and adaptations guide for specific modifications

For a structured safety assessment checklist that covers wandering prevention alongside home hazards, medication management, and emergency contacts, the Scotland Dementia Care Kit includes a complete home safety assessment worksheet.

See more Scotland guides →