Police sign up to new approach in dealing with Mental Health Crisis Care

The Concordat sets out how all partners will work together to deliver a high quality response when people of all ages with mental health problems urgently need help.

As part of its commitment in the Concordat to enable frontline police officers to deliver better responses for people experiencing mental health crisis, the College will:

Review the content and training standards in the National Policing Curriculum to enable officers to undertake revised and updated training on mental health. This will cover a range of policing areas including custody training, restraint, mental ill health training, public protection and contact management.
Review and update the existing police 'Guidance on Responding to People with Mental Ill Health or Learning Disabilities' and subsequently transfer it into Authorised Professional Practice.
College of Policing 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."

Speaking on behalf of the national policing lead for Mental Health, Commander Christine Jones, of the National Mental Health Working Group, said:

“This concordat offers a unique opportunity to fully integrate our work as a service with those partner organisations who also act to ensure the safety and security of those with mental health problems, and we take our responsibilities under the concordat very seriously.

“From an operational perspective, there are several key action points for us:

• development of a web portal to enable the exchange of effective practices between us and relevant agencies;
• providing support to those mental health service providers to develop arrangements for real-time information to be exchanged when we are assessing a vulnerable person’s needs; and
• creating a better flow of information between us and the health service in identifying vulnerable people during our officers’ day to day work

“These are points that we are alert to and will be very pro-active on.

About the Association of Chief Police Officers

The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) is an independent, professionally led strategic body. In the public interest and, in equal and active partnership with Government and partner agencies, including the College of Policing, ACPO leads and co-ordinates the direction and development of operational policing in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In times of national need ACPO, on behalf of all chief officers, co-ordinates the strategic policing response.

All national standards and practice are developed by the College of Policing and agreed by Professional Committee before adoption. Authorised Professional Practice defines nationally agreed good practice for forces, but accountability as to whether to adhere to such guidance rests with chief constables who are operationally independent. In some cases, Chief Constables' Council needs to agree that standards can be implemented operationally before they are introduced.

About the College of Policing

The College of Policing is the professional body for policing. It sets high professional standards to help forces cut crime and protect the public. The College is here to give everyone in policing the tools, skills and knowledge they need to succeed. The College of Policing will enhance the ability of police forces and individuals to deliver their mission of preventing crime and protecting the public.

The College of Policing is responsible for:
• Setting standards
• Promoting evidence-based good practice
• Accrediting training providers
• Supporting partnership working
• Leading on ethics and integrity

For more information contact the College Press Office on 020 3113 7226.

For more information about the work of the national policing lead for Mental Health, contact the ACPO Press Office on 020 7084 8948.

For more information please contact:

ACPO Press Office
Association of Chief Police Officers
e: press.office@acpo.pnn.police.uk