Use of police cells in mental health crises sees major drop

New research has shown significant progress being made in efforts to reduce the use of police cells to hold people suffering mental health crises.

The Crisis Care Concordat, a programme to improve standards in mental health crisis care across the country, has led to a 55 percent reduction in the use of police cells as a place of safety for people detained under the Mental Health Act in England since 2011/12.

Additionally, the Concordat has seen more than 9,350 people helped by street triage schemes in just 12 months in the nine areas where pilots have been running, with a further 17 areas now introducing similar services following this success.

Moreover, ten ambulance trusts have signed up to 30-minute targets for paramedics to respond to mental health crises where the police have been the first to the scene. Previously, these were not routinely treated as emergencies.

Alistair Burt, minister for community and social care, said: "Anyone experiencing a mental health crisis should be treated with the same urgency and compassion as someone with a broken leg, rather than ending up in a police cell."

The government recently announced an extra 15 million pounds will be spent next year to provide more places of safety for those detained under the Mental Health Act.