A new scheme aimed at keeping people with dementia, Alzheimer’s and mental health conditions safe will be trialled in Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre from September.
999ReUnite is a collaboration between the police, fire and ambulance service and involves each service issuing the most vulnerable with a wristband. The wristband uses near field communication (NFC) technology and, if scanned with a mobile device, it will display a name and mobile number for emergency contacts.
PC Paul Austin from Blackpool Police said: “In my role I have come across a number of families whose loved ones have the onset of dementia or Alzheimer’s and have gone missing. We hope that this scheme will help to return missing people home quickly, causing less stress and anxiety for them and their families. It will also help to reduce the time officers spend on locating missing people.
“The initial feedback from families currently signed up to the scheme has been extremely positive. They say it has given them that extra reassurance and support they wanted.”
Nathan Hearn, Patient Transport Service (PTS) Contract Delivery Manager for North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust said: “We’re really pleased to be involved in this scheme to help patients living with dementia. We hope that this will allow us to offer an extra level of support for vulnerable patients and if they go missing, help them be reunited with loved ones quickly. “We always look to make every contact count with patients through health prevention and promotion initiatives as part of our Patient Transport Service and, by supporting this valuable scheme, we will be able to further expand on this. We’ll also be working with our Paramedic Emergency Service to identify those most at risk in Fylde and Wyre. We’ll have a designated PTS team leader who will work directly with patients and their families in issuing the wristbands as well as support from the trust’s lead for mental health and dementia.”
Julie Simpson, Prevention Support Officer, said; “Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service have been providing Guardian Angels to people living with dementia since March 2017 and these have proved beneficial and well received within the local community. Due to the increasing success of the devices, it made perfect sense to work in partnership with Lancashire Constabulary and North West Ambulance on the 999 ReUnite project. The devices and LOGO are made up in the colours of each Service to make them easily recognisable and associated to the Emergency Services. The combined emergency service partnership allows us to reach vulnerable members of the community and carry out safe and well visits in their home. In addition to this, our staff have the NFC enabled handsets that allows them to set up and read the 999 ReUnite devices whilst out in the community. Once the trail has been completed in September 2020, we will be looking to roll this out across the county.”
If the trial is successful, the scheme will be rolled-out across Lancashire from September 2020.
During the trial, the wristbands will be issued by the emergency services to those who are deemed most vulnerable. It is hoped that, in the future, people will be able to purchase a wristband for themselves or family members and opt to join the scheme.
staff have the NFC enabled handsets that allows them to set up and read the 999 ReUnite devices whilst out in the community. Once the trail has been completed in September 2020, we will be looking to roll this out across the county.”
If the trial is successful, the scheme will be rolled-out across Lancashire from September 2020.
During the trial, the wristbands will be issued by the emergency services to those who are deemed most vulnerable. It is hoped that, in the future, people will be able to purchase a wristband for themselves or family members and opt to join the scheme.