Measures to divert non-criminal distress cases away from the police to other services are being quietly phased out as mental health teams are “overburdened”, MSPs have been told.
His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons (HMCIP) Sara Snell told Holyrood’s justice committee that schemes in parts of Scotland designed to take pressure of police have been “making a difference”, but were unable to continue.
The claim has not been verified, but will spark further alarm among rank-and-file officers. Cops are being called to almost 700 mental health incidents every day.
The extra pressure this places on officers has been sharply criticised by Chief Constable Jo Farrell, who warned earlier this year that mental health is not a justice issue and that the service “cannot continue” to respond to mental health incidents.
Various measures and pilot projects have been introduced to try and ease the pressure on officers, but Police Scotland has admitted there are “varying levels of service provision across the country”.
Snell described to MSPs a scenario where these diversions are failing because mental health teams have also become “so overburdened” that they are unable to continue supporting the initiative.
His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons, Sara Snell
Giving evidence to the committee, she said: “Healthcare Improvement Scotland [HIS] and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland [HMICS] were talking about a pilot scheme in Glasgow and Ayrshire… they had realised that they were often called to deal with things that almost inevitably became criminalised just because the police were there, but that those situations were probably representations of ill health, substance use or something else.
“The police had a mechanism to call mental health teams and say, ‘Here’s the situation that we are in, here’s what’s happening.’ They were able to describe the presentation and ask for advice.
“That scheme was making a difference, because people were not coming into police custody but were being diverted to the services that they needed.
“However, at some stage – I am sorry, I am telling you someone else’s story – the mental health teams became so overburdened that they could not support the scheme.
“When people are under pressure, something has to drop, and so they decided that they could not keep that approach going when they had other calls on their time.”
Snell said the issue was raised at the national preventive mechanism Scotland subgroup meeting.
The Scottish Government’s framework for collaboration, which set out principles for a multi-agency approach to supporting people experiencing distress or crisis, was published more than a year ago.
Police Scotland said the service is working with other organisations to ensure people experiencing mental health crises are getting the best support.
Chief Superintendent Derek Cree, who leads the force’s Mental Health Taskforce, said: “We are driving work at pace, in collaboration with key partners, to develop a whole-system, person-centred approach to mental health to ensure people get the support they need and deserve from those best able to provide it.
Chief Superintendent Derek Cree
“All officers have access to the mental health index, which enables them to speak to clinicians in their area when they have encountered an individual in mental health distress, who can offer advice and arrange access to the right services.
“We continue to use the national Distress Brief Intervention (DBI) programme in local policing divisions where the respective health and social care partnerships have introduced it.
“DBI trained officers can refer people in mental health distress to an appropriate third sector organisation which can offer non-clinical support, allowing them to return to their core policing duties safe in the knowledge that the person will receive the help they need.
“There are some great examples of where local policing divisions are working collaboratively with health and third sector colleagues, however there continues to be varying levels of service provision across the country.
“We are committed to working with the Scottish Government and partners to establish an equity of service nationwide and ensure people in distress or crisis are getting the right care, from the right service, at the earliest opportunity.”
HMICPS, HMICS and HIS declined to comment.
