Legal News

Police stations in south London are piloting a new scheme under which police officers will be able to access phone advice from mental health nurses, to offer people who are suffering breakdowns better care.

The Mental Health Police Triage Service is being piloted in Lambeth, Lewisham, Croydon and Southwark by NHS England (London).

Nursing Times reports that the aim of the scheme is to improve mental health care and reduce the involvement of police officers in cases in which a mental health assessment is required.

The scheme is supported by the Mayor’s Office of Police for Policing and Crime – and the Metropolitan Police Service.

The mental health triage service for police is being delivered by the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM), which is a leading provider of mental health care services for London and the south.

The report the Independent Commission on Mental Health and Policing highlights areas of concern regarding the care of mental health patients in police custody. High-profile cases in the media involving mental health patients in police custody have also flagged up issues of inappropriate care and a lack of access to services, including an initial mental health assessment.

The issue of mental health patients and restraints has also been highlighted – individuals with mental health issues may find being in police custody suites particularly distressing and may also feel especially threatened if restrained.

Under the Mental Health Act, those with mental health conditions – or who may have a mental health condition – should be taken to a place of safety for professional assessment by a mental health practitioner.

Police officers detaining a suspect or a mental health patient may be forced, however, to keep the individual in custody at a police station if there is no available mental health facility or bed available close by.

Recognising mental health conditions in those detained may also be an issue for police officers.

Introducing nurse-led triage phone lines for police officers is one response to the findings of the Independent Commission on Mental Health and Policing, which examines how mental health patients might be affected by the justice system.

Chief executive of the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Dr Matthew Patrick, said:

“Rather than removing patients from the street (Section 136) unnecessarily, nurses can advise police on other options – such as direct referral to our community mental health teams, where patients are already known to SLaM services; or attending A&E, where it appears the person’s presentation requires physical health assessment.
“Although it is early days, we can see that the pilot has had a direct effect on reducing the number of people being detained under Section 136 – and is providing patients with better access to the care they need as quickly as possible.”
Dr Patrick said that the nurse-led triage pilot scheme was the first time that police had had “direct and rapid access to mental health professionals”, able to respond immediately and offer advice when an individual was detained.

NHS England’s head of health and justice commissioning, Kate Davies said that many individuals who come into contact with police are “simple ill” and have not committed a crime – but may be going through one of the most difficult times of their lives.

“This scheme is about supporting police officers to make the right decisions about how to manage these situations,” she said.

“ Whether that means taking somebody to a place of safety – or assisting them in the community with the help of a mental health professional.”

Duncan Lewis Mental Health Solicitors

Duncan Lewis is a specialist firm of mental health solicitors – and our mental health lawyers regularly visit police stations and hospitals to advise patients on mental health law and detention under the Mental Health Act.

Duncan Lewis mental health solicitors are one of the UK’s leading providers of Legal Aid services and in some cases may be able to advise the Nearest Relative (NR) or carer of a mental health patient on issues such as access to mental health services or initiating a treatment review, where appropriate.

For expert legal advice on mental health law, call the Duncan Lewis Mental Health Solicitors Helpline on 0203 114 1124.