By Gemma Fraser
Head of Content
The creation of mental health ambulances in Scotland would help ease “one of the most pressing challenges” facing the police force while also providing better care for those who need it, according to officers’ representatives.
David Kennedy, general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation (SPF), said mental health-related call-outs make up nearly 20 per cent of all police responses in Scotland.
But he warned officers have “a limited amount of training” for these incidents, with situations often escalating to the point of arrest.
He said there needs to be a better approach to dealing with mental health calls, with professionals, rather than police, leading on it.
Speaking at a conference jointly hosted by the British Academy of Forensic Sciences and the Forensic Network, he said: “Policing mental health in Scotland is one of the most pressing challenges we face today.
“Unlike other types of emergencies, where the police are trained to assess threats and respond with appropriate force, mental health crises often require a completely different set of skills.
“This is where the current system in Scotland often falls short.
“Despite the growing number of mental health call-outs, police officers receive only a limited amount of training on how to handle these situations.
“Many officers report feeling unprepared when faced with individuals in crisis, and this lack of preparedness can lead to situations where interactions between the police and individuals escalate unnecessarily.
“In some cases, individuals in crisis are arrested or detained when what they really need is medical intervention.
“In other cases, police officers are forced to make judgment calls about the safety of individuals who may be suicidal or at risk of harming themselves, all without the benefit of a mental health professional to guide them.”
“By treating mental health crises as medical emergencies, we can ensure that individuals receive the care they need without the involvement of the police”
Kennedy cited examples in other countries which have successfully introduced models which see health professionals and police work together.
Canada’s mobile crisis intervention teams – which aim to get people in crisis the care they need rather than taking them into custody – have been introduced in cities across the country.
A study of the programme in Toronto found that 75 per cent of individuals who came into contact with the teams were diverted away from the criminal justice system and into mental health services.
In Australia, the mental health ambulance service operates alongside traditional emergency services, where paramedics with specialised mental health training respond to incidents which are treated as medical emergencies rather than a policing matter.
A similar model is also used in Sweden.
Kennedy said: “Another potential adaptation is the creation of a mental health ambulance service, similar to the model used in Australia.
“This service could operate alongside traditional ambulance services, with paramedics trained in mental health providing support during emergencies.
“By treating mental health crises as medical emergencies, we can ensure that individuals receive the care they need without the involvement of the police.
“Scotland and the UK as a whole can learn valuable lessons from these international models.
“The key takeaway from these examples is the importance of treating mental health crises as health issues rather than policing issues.
“By integrating mental health professionals into emergency response teams, we can reduce the burden on police and ensure that individuals in crisis receive appropriate care.”
Pilot projects have already been introduced in parts of Scotland to encourage more partnerships between the police and mental health services, such as mental health triage teams.
“In areas where these teams are active, there has been a significant reduction in the number of individuals being taken into custody for mental health reasons,” said Kennedy.
“Instead, individuals are being directed to the appropriate mental health services, where they can receive the care they need.
“For example, in Edinburgh, the introduction of mental health triage cars — vehicles staffed by both police officers and mental health professionals — has led to a 30 per cent reduction in the number of people being detained under the Mental Health Act.
“This approach not only improves outcomes for individuals in crisis but also reduces the strain on police resources.”
Pauline McNeill, Scottish Labour’s justice spokesperson, said the issue has been a priority of Holyrood’s criminal justice committee for the past year.
She said: “We need to ensure that other agencies are involved at these crisis points to take the pressure off the police so that they can focus on their core work in frontline policing.
“They are the only agency that works 24 hours in relation to these cases and there has been too heavy a reliance on the police.
“Mental health specialists are the best placed to help those in crisis and Scottish Labour welcomes any initiative which supports this principle.”
“The Chief Constable has been clear that policing’s involvement in mental health incidents and supporting vulnerable people is beyond where it should be”
Chief Superintendent Matt Paden
The Scottish Government said it has provided more than £6 million to Police Scotland, NHS 24, and the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) to support the development of the Enhanced Mental Health Pathway, which allows Police Scotland and SAS to redirect mental health related calls to the Mental Health Hub within NHS 24.
Justice Secretary Angela Constance said: “We recognise the impact of mental health-related incidents on policing.
“Officers do all they can to support those who are in distress or suffering from mental ill health.
“We have enabled Police Scotland to direct mental health-related calls to NHS 24 through the award-winning Enhanced Mental Health Pathway.
“I welcome the increase in calls referred this way, ensuring that people are receiving the right support and that police resources are deployed appropriately.
“We have also developed a reference guide for Police Scotland setting out the 24/7 access arrangements to the mental health clinicians in every health board or health and social care partnership.
“This will allow officers supporting an individual in mental health distress to have consistent access to clinical advice on the best care outcome for the individual and improve, where appropriate, the transfer of care to clinicians.”
Chief Superintendent Matt Paden told 1919: “The Chief Constable has been clear that policing’s involvement in mental health incidents and supporting vulnerable people is beyond where it should be and has established a mental health taskforce to co-ordinate work to better balance our involvement.
“We are working closely with a range of key stakeholders across a number of areas building on existing work and good practice to design a person-centred whole system approach.
“This vital work, supported by Scottish Government, is being taken forward at pace with our partners to help reduce the impact and incidence of mental health related issues in our communities and explore ways to ensure that people in crisis are afforded the best care as quickly as possible.
“We will continue to respond to people in crisis and who need our help.”