Street triage to team to deal with mental health emergencies
- 10 Jan
A new scheme has begun in the West Midlands to ensure people suffering with mental health issues are kept out of custody and receive the correct treatment.
This Street Triage scheme will see mental health nurses and paramedics join police on callouts where people need mental health support.
Mental health bosses have said that people in urgent need of mental health care during emergencies will benefit, reports the BBC.
This pilot scheme hopes to follow in the footsteps of similar schemes that are already active across the country.
Chief Inspector of the West Midlands Police, Sean Russell, said that the scheme will "help reduce demand on police and A&E resources" whilst also supporting people in crisis.
Jon Short, chief executive at Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation, said: "There's been a huge fuss in recent years over how much front-line police work deals with mental health issues. Lots of their call-outs are to disturbances in the street or domestic issues. Police have limited powers in these issues, so the outcome is often an arrest. The triage will allow trained paramedics and mental health nurses to asses people more thoroughly and to make police aware of the range of options available to them, such as if the person involved needs counselling or other care."
Steve Parry, spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service, said the triage will "free up emergency services such as ambulances from attending many incidents unnecessarily".
What do you think of this? Tweet us your comments @suppsolutions
Image source: http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/115354
Related articles
- 11 Sep
People in Bedfordshire can find mental health support through an audio guide
The guides have been written by clinical psychologists and are available to download in print or listen to as an audio file, reports Bedfordshire News.Dr Judy Baxter, Clinical Director with BCCG and...
- 10 Sep
Police officers in Dorset to receive mental health training
The partnership with the University comes as part of the county’s Mental Health Street Triage Project. It is hoped to equip officers with improved knowledge and skills to assess members of the...
- 09 Sep
People in Peterborough can refer themselves for mental health services
Through a drive to offer support to more people and ease pressure on doctors, people living in Peterborough can self-refer themselves to mental health services, reports Peterborough Today.Dr Adrian...
- 08 Sep
The first mental health centre for men
The site has been set up by Alex Eaton, whose dad took his own life and has suffered with mental health problems himself, in Burton upon Trent, reports BBC Newsbeat.Mr Eaton said: "We are the only...
- 07 Sep
NHS trust told no mental health beds available
Dr Bohdan Solomka has said that on Sunday a lack of beds were applied across the NHS and among private providers, reports the BBC. The director of the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trusts...
- 07 Sep
Over 16,000 mental health referrals for young people have been rejected
Between July last year and June this year, data from the NHS has found that Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services rejected 5,396 referrals, reports STV News.Over the last three years 16,565...
- 04 Sep
New mental health centre to open in Ardwick
Plans to build a new £6m treatment and recovery centre in Manchester have been revealed. It will be built in Ardwick and be run by Alternative Futures Group, reports the Manchester Evening...
- 03 Sep
Research finds more chance of re-offending if mental health issues are present
Research has found that ex-prisoners with mental health problems and drug and alcohol misuse are more likely to commit violent offences after release than other former prisoners, reports the...
- 02 Sep
Drop in the number of people with mental health issues held in cells
Recent figures have found that the Crisis Care Concordat has seen over 10,000 people receive care from mental health nurses with the support from police officers, reports the Burton Mail.Figures have...
- 02 Sep
Mental health social work scheme accepting applications
100 places are now available for applicants who have a 2:1 or above undergraduate degree and can demonstrate attributes such as resilience and empathy, reports Community Care.The Think Ahead...
What are the Future Funding Arrangements for Supported and Sheltered Housing? "Another informative session provided by Support Solutions, excellent session" P.R. - Wrekin Housing Trust
