28.01.14
Met must tackle shortfall of nurses – London Assembly
The Metropolitan police are struggling to provide adequate medical staffing for detainees in custody, the London Assembly has warned.
The Assembly’s police and crime committee report calls for action on a 60% shortfall of nurses in the force. In the current financial year more nurses have left than have been recruited.
The committee recommends a new strategy to increase the number of custody nurses, establishing a clear timetable for transition of commissioning for custody healthcare to the NHS by 2015, and an independent review of the nature, content and appropriateness of nurses training.
Lord Victor Adebowale, chief executive of Turning Point, chair of the Independent Commission on Mental Health and Policing and chair of the NHS England Parity of Esteem Programme Board said: “The call for the Met to take immediate action to tackle the shortfall in nurses providing medical assessments and care for people held in police custody is welcome as is the acknowledgement of the Independent Commission on Mental Health and Policing report’s findings.
“Keeping an equal focus on mental and physical health is essential if we are to ensure parity of esteem for those experiencing mental ill health. Competent, effective policing cannot be done without this.”
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