27.01.15
Police and mental health partnerships improving crisis care - MHN
Partnership work between the police and healthcare professionals is leading to a reduction in the number of people being detained under the Mental Health Act, early research suggests.
In a joint briefing published by the NHS Confederation’s Mental Health Network (MHN) and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), the organisations highlight that early findings from the nine Department of Health funded pilots schemes, in which mental health nurses work closely with police on patrol and in call centres, are making a difference on the frontline.
For instance, as part of the ‘Serenity’ pilot, mental health staff from the Isle of Wight NHS Trust and Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust working with Hampshire Constabulary, on patrol and in police control centres, have seen a 50% drop in the number of people detained under the Mental Health Act.
In another pilot, mental health nurses from Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust are supporting Thames Valley Police officers while they are on patrol and assisting with incidents elsewhere by telephone. According to early research, the number of people being detained under Section 136 of the Mental Health Act in Oxfordshire has decreased by 38%.
The join briefing, published in accordance with the Mental Health Crisis Care Concordat, which commits national organisations to work together to improve crisis care, outlines how strong partnership working “at all levels” can prevent a crisis from escalating and deliver significantly improved outcomes for people in crisis because of a mental health condition.
The schemes include street triage, multi-agency training and liaison and diversion services. A full evaluation of the pilot schemes will be concluded in 2015.
Chief executive of the MHN Stephen Dalton, a former mental health nurse, said: “We know that for a small number of people with mental health problems who experience a crisis, the first response of the public is often to call the police.
“But the very nature of a mental health crisis means that a very vulnerable person needs a fast, individual, joined-up response.
“This joint briefing with ACPO shows that many police forces and mental health services across the country are developing closer partnership working arrangements, joint training initiatives and improved information sharing to support vulnerable people receive the compassionate care, support and treatment they need.”
For a copy of mental health and policing - improving crisis care, click here.
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