What would OcUK do !?!?!?!

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I was just driving home where something caught my eye on the path to my left as I turned in. There was nowhere to park because of all the cars on the road but I was pretty sure it was a person.

I did a quick loop and as I got back an elderly woman was getting up of the path wearing a purple dressing gown.

I stopped and asked her if she was OK and she said she was, she looked a little bit disorientated however and just kept saying she was OK when I asked if she needed any help.

she then went into a property nearby where she had gotten up from.

I called the police 101 number as I was concerned she may be vulnerable.

Speaking to the handler she took some details and then asked why I had phoned them and not an ambulance, I said I didn't know if she was hurt or just vulnerable either way, it wasn't normal to be lying on a path in the rain just before midnight.

The handler then asked me if I would go and knock on the door where I thought the woman had gone to see if she was OK. I refused as I said I think it would look odd a stranger knocking on the door around midnight.

The call handler then said they would phone the address to see if the person was OK.

I don't know if they have sent anyone to check on her and also I feel it was wrong to ask to check too.

What do the denizens of OcUK say?
 
Caporegime
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5 Sep 2010
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Not sleep tonight because I left a potentially vulnerable elderly woman without checking on her like the police asked.

If anyone queried why you were knocking on the door at midnight you could have explained and you had the police on the phone if needed.
 
Soldato
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I'd probably go round and knock in the morning and check, they may have forgotten the episode or anything but can't really rely on the police for their wellness checks.
 
Soldato
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Sounds as though she might have been drunk and had one too many.

You did the right thing by checking up on her. I don't think I'd have called the emergency services though.
 
Associate
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Speaking to the handler she took some details and then asked why I had phoned them and not an ambulance, I said I didn't know if she was hurt or just vulnerable either way, it wasn't normal to be lying on a path in the rain just before midnight.

The handler then asked me if I would go and knock on the door where I thought the woman had gone to see if she was OK. I refused as I said I think it would look odd a stranger knocking on the door around midnight.

I think it was a bit cheeky for them to say that - rather than throw criticism at you, when you were clearly trying to the right thing, surely the handler could have simply logged a request for an ambulance to go to the address (I'm assuming they have a direct link into the systems where they could do this relatively easily).

As you stated, you did check on the welfare of the lady and as far as you could see there was no immediate medical emergency, hence your decision to phone the police.

And asking you to go back - I know the post says the lady was elderly, but you would have had no idea what you may have been walking into, and if they were mentally ill who knows what could happen? I'd say the police are being irresponsible asking you to go back - I know they are probably under pressure due to limited resources, but in my view the onus was on them to go and knock on the door once you had reported the incident.
 
Soldato
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23,304
Id have helped them out myself or called an ambulance if I needed to. No point calling the police. They wont do anything, as you found out.
 
Soldato
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I would call round this morning to see if she was any better, I wouldn't have been able to sleep last night either without knowing.
 

Pez

Pez

Soldato
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Warwickshire
I think it was a bit cheeky for them to say that - rather than throw criticism at you, when you were clearly trying to the right thing, surely the handler could have simply logged a request for an ambulance to go to the address

Welfare check is a police task via 101 - Ambulances are emergency only.

(I'm assuming they have a direct link into the systems where they could do this relatively easily).

They have no system access, and have to call through to the ambulance EOC for assistance.
 
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OP
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Interesting responses.

In my opinion, I think I did the right thing. I also think it was wrong for the police to ask me to knock on the door to see if she was OK.

I was expecting them to ask me to wait while they send someone which I would have been happy to do.
 
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