Right Care Right Person

What is Right Care Right Person?

Right Care Right Person is an operational model aiming to ensure vulnerable people get the right support from the right agency when they need it.

It was initially instigated by Humberside Police in 2019 following an increase in health related calls which did not fall within the core responsibilities of policing.

A national partnership agreement has since been signed at ministerial level for Right Care Right Person to be rolled out across all police areas.

What is happening in the Wiltshire Police force area?

Within the Wiltshire Police area, the first phase of Right Care Right Person was implemented from Monday 8 April.

This first phase applies to calls for service about concern for the welfare of a person, those who have walked out of a healthcare setting and people who are absent without leave (AWOL) from mental health services.

A second phase will follow relating to medical incidents including requests for transportation of patients. 

The Right Care Right Person model will not be applicable to children when it is initially rolled out within the Wiltshire Police area.

Why is Right Care Right Person being implemented?

The police are not always the right agency to respond to all incidents. There are circumstances where our partners are best placed to offer help and support to vulnerable people.

The Right Care Right Person approach is about ensuring people in our communities receive an appropriate response from the individuals and agencies best equipped to support them.

How will the model be implemented?

Every call to a police control room is assessed under THRIVE principles (Threat, Harm, Risk, Investigation, Vulnerability, Engagement) and Right Care Right Person does not alter this.

Right Care Right Person will not stop the police attending incidents where there is a threat to life or risk of immediate serious harm to an individual. We have a duty to protect our communities and we will continue to do so.

It is about working with our partners to make the necessary changes to service provisions to ensure that vulnerable people are given appropriate care by the appropriate agency.

More information

The College of Policing, along with the National Police Chiefs’ Council, is supporting the roll out of Right Care Right Person across all police force areas with a national toolkit including operational guidance.