Mental health is a challenge in Staffordshire says county crime commissioner
- 24 Jun
The county crime commissioner in Staffordshire has welcomed the CQC’s report calling for more specialist mental health support agencies.
Matthew Ellis has spoken about the commission’s Right Here, Right Now report which looks at how health and care services are struggling to provide the correct responses to people in crisis, reports the Burton Mail.
Mr Ellis said: "The cross-agency working has resulted in significant improvements in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, as shown by the drop in the numbers of people in a mental health crisis being held in police custody. It shows that with a clear plan and an understanding that joined-up working across agencies is essential, real progress is possible. There are signs, however, of slippage in some mental health services in Staffordshire which is again leaving cells to be used as places of safety. We have all agreed that individuals in mental health crisis should not end up in a cell when no crime has been committed. It is important action is taken immediately to address this regression. I recognise that further improvements are planned, but this report is a timely reminder that those who signed up to the agreement in 2014 must step up and make sure that the response to those who are mentally ill is as good as it would be to those who are physically ill. At present that parity simply does not exist."
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