Triage car highlighted in Mental Health Awareness Week

Triage car supports those with mental health problems.

This week as part of mental health awareness week we are taking a closer look at the force’s mental health triage service.

The “street triage” car service, brings officers and health professionals from Leicestershire Partnership Trust (LPT) together in order to respond to people with mental health problems in public places.

It is available seven days a week, 365 days a year and has reduced the number of people detained by the police and taken to a place of safety for a Mental Health Act assessment from around 450 per year to 158.

PC John Dalby, who is among those who provide the service, said: “We’ve managed to reduce the number of people police detain using their powers under the Mental Health Act by around 70 per cent, and most importantly we have improved the ways in which we respond to persons in crisis, signposting them to the most appropriate support.

“It means we can easily share information, particularly medical information which might be pertinent to any on-going issue and direct them to the most appropriate person or service, whether that’s a GP, crisis team, hospital or family member.”

In addition, the service provides tactical advice to the control room or police officers on the ground thanks to the team’s specialist knowledge of the law and in particular the Mental Health Act.

PC Dalby added: “It’s this multi-agency approach alongside LPT which helps us to achieve the best outcomes for those in crisis.”

Last year the service was praised in a report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Service (HMICFRS) looking at mental health and policing.