A new agreement between police, mental health trusts and paramedics has been welcomed by the National Association for Healthcare Security (NAHS).
Peter Finch, chairman of the association and Security Adviser for Sandwell & West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust told Professional Security: “We have been waiting for this guidance for some time. This multi-agency approach will ensure that mental health patients in crisis get the quality of care that they need and deserve without stigmatisation. This will have a particular impact on Emergency Departments traditionally seen as a ‘place of safety’ and for healthcare security and ambulance staff that may have to undertake restraint in those circumstances where it is in the best interest of the patient to do so. National standards for the training of security officers in the restraint of patients in the NHS have not yet been defined and restraint is not taught nationally in the NHS Ambulance sector. These issues clearly need to be considered for the safety of patients and staff alike.”
Police custody should never be used just because mental health services are not available; and police vehicles should not be used to transfer patients between hospitals. That is according to the ‘concordat’.
The agreement – called the Crisis Care Concordat – announced by Care and Support Minister Norman Lamb, seeks to cut the numbers of people detained inappropriately in police cells and drive out the regional variation in standards. For the full 54-page document, sub-titled ‘Improving outcomes for people experiencing mental health crisis’, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mental-health-crisis-care-agreement
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said: “A mental health crisis can already be distressing for individuals and all those involved, but when people aren’t getting the right support or care it can have very serious consequences. It’s unacceptable that there are incidents where young people and even children can end up in a police cell because the right mental health service isn’t available to them. That’s why we’re taking action across the country and across organisations to make sure those with mental health problems are receiving the emergency care they need. We want to build a fairer society – one where mental health is as important as physical health – and the Crisis Care Concordat is an important step towards addressing this disparity.”
The concordat, already been signed by 22 organisations including NHS England, the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Royal College of Psychiatrists, sets out the standards of care people should expect if they suffer a mental health crisis and details how the emergency services should respond.
Norman Lamb, Care and Support Minister, said: “When someone has a mental health crisis, it is distressing and frightening for them as well as the people around them. Urgent and compassionate care in a safe place is essential – a police cell should never need to be used because mental health services are not available. For me, crisis care is the most stark example of the lack of equality between mental and physical health. The NHS and police already work well together in some areas, but it is totally unacceptable that crisis mental health care is so variable across the country. It is imperative that all areas seek to implement the principles of the Concordat as quickly as possible to ensure consistent care, no matter where you live. Better care for people in mental health crises will not only help those living through their darkest hours to recover – it can also save lives.”
Local areas will now sign their own regional and local agreements.
And Minister for Policing, Criminal Justice and Victims, Damian Green said: “The signing of the Concordat is a demonstration of what can be achieved when people work together. From today each organisation will have a clear set of principles to follow and vulnerable people experiencing difficulties will be able to get the right help when and where they need it.
“In the past six months the government has made significant progress with the introduction of street triage pilots, which brings together police officers and mental health practitioners to allow for early intervention for vulnerable people. On top of this we are piloting schemes in which mental health nurses are stationed in police stations.
“There is obviously still some way to go, but these measures will ensure police officers can focus on fighting crime and helping people with mental health conditions get the care they need.”
For the College of Policing, its Chief Executive, Chief Constable Alex Marshall said: “Mental illness is a challenge for all of us. When a crisis occurs it is important that public services work together to provide the care and support that individuals require.
“The Concordat is a strong statement of intent of how the police, mental health services, social work services and ambulance professionals will work together to make sure that people who need immediate mental health support at a time of crisis get the right services when they need them.
“The College of Policing, as the professional body for policing, will ensure that all frontline police officers have access to updated training that will enable them to recognise the signs and symptoms of mental health crisis, and assess the risk of harm and special care and support that an individual may require to ensure their safety and that of police officers and the public.”
