NHS and police commit to a new approach for people requiring urgent mental health

A new partnership agreement means that patients experiencing a mental health crisis will now be treated by the most appropriate agency – which will often not be the police.

The government says the agreement, signed between health and policing partners, will help free up police time and ensuring care is provided by someone with the most relevant skills and experience.

Local health partners and police forces in England will work together on joint plans to implement the new approach, working towards ending ‘inappropriate’ involvement of police where no crime is being committed or there is no threat to safety. Where police officers do take a person in a mental health crisis to a health setting under the Mental Health Act, this agreement emphasises the need for local partners to work towards handovers happening within one hour. These plans and timelines for implementation will reflect the needs of local communities, as well as the capacity of local police and mental health services, and any additional resources required.

Policing Minister Chris Philp said the government has listened to the concerns raised by police leaders about the pressures that mental health issues are placing on policing.

“This landmark agreement will see those in a mental health crisis receiving the most appropriate treatment in the right environment by healthcare professionals and free up considerable amounts of police time to focus on keeping our communities safe.”

The new National Partnership Agreement is based on the adoption of the ‘Right Care, Right Person’ (RCRP) approach, which has seen success in some areas. The approach was developed by Humberside Police and the NHS in 2019, to make it easier for staff in police control rooms to identify the right agency to deploy at the outset when responding to 999 calls about individuals experiencing a mental health crisis.

Mental health organisation leaders urged caution with the plans, saying they must be properly resourced to work effectively.

“The Right Care Right Person model has shown promising results in Humberside, but it is not yet an evidence-based model,” Andy Bell, Chief Executive of the Centre for Mental Health said. “It may not be the right approach in every part of the country. So it is vital that new arrangements are carefully monitored to identify both good practice and learning from experience. Mental health crisis care cannot be left to chance.

“It is also essential that the Government fulfils its promise to modernise the Mental Health Act. This is essential to protect people’s rights and dignity.

“It is vital that the Government allocates additional funding for improved mental health crisis care. It cannot be diverted from other essential mental health services. It must include funding for social services, whose work is just as important as that of the NHS. It must include suitable arrangements for children and young people. It must include investment in facilities that are fit for purpose. And local agreements must be reached in partnership with community organisations and people using services, especially those from marginalised and racialised communities.”

Back in June, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley suggested in a letter to health and social care partners that the force would only attend mental health 999 calls where there is an "immediate threat to life".

Sir Rowley said that, currently, officers are “failing Londoners twice”.

“We are failing them first by sending police officers, not medical professionals, to those in mental health crisis, and expecting them to do their best in circumstances where they are not the right people to be dealing with the patient.

“We are failing Londoners a second time by taking large amounts of officer time away from preventing and solving crime, as well as dealing properly with victims, in order to fill gaps for others.”