Oral Answers to Questions

Bob Blackman Excerpts

Monday 5th January 2015 Commons Chamber

[Oliver Colvile (Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport) (Con)]

6. What steps she is taking to improve the approach of the police to working with people with mental health problems.

[Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con)]

13. What steps she is taking to improve the approach of the police to working with people with mental health problems.

[Nigel Mills (Amber Valley) (Con)]

17. What steps she is taking to improve the approach of the police to working with people with mental health problems.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mrs May]

As my hon. Friend will know, the provision of mental health nurses in police custody suites is a local issue, but I am pleased to tell him that from April 2015 NHS England will commission liaison and diversion services across Devon and Cornwall, including in Charles Cross police station, and that will provide people in police custody who may have mental health issues and autistic challenges with access to mental health nursing.

[Bob Blackman]

It is clearly good news that the number of people detained overnight in police stations under the Mental Health Act has been reduced by 25% in the past year alone. Clearly, it is important that individuals who are ill need to be treated medically, rather than be detained in police stations. What further action can my right hon. Friend take to ensure that people who are ill receive the medical treatment they require?

[Mrs May]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for pointing out the success of the work already being done across the country, including in London, to reduce the number of people with mental health problems who are being held in a police cell as a place of safety. Police cells should only ever be used as a place of safety for somebody with mental health problems in exceptional circumstances. We are encouraging police forces across the country to look at the success of the triage schemes that have already been undertaken and take on board the very good practice which is having a beneficial effect for those with mental health problems and for police resources.