New deal to help people facing a mental health crisis

A new agreement to improve the system of care and support for people in a mental health crisis has today been signed by the Welsh Government, police forces, the NHS, councils and other agencies.

The crisis care concordat commits the organisations which have signed up to work together to intervene early and, if possible, to reduce the likelihood of people posing a risk to themselves or others as a result of a mental health condition.

A key part of this approach are new proposals to reduce the use of police custody for people suffering with mental health problems. People with suspected mental health issues who are detained under the Mental Health Act should be assessed within three hours and not be held in police custody for more than 12 hours.

All organisations which sign the concordat have made a commitment to find the most appropriate support needed for people in whatever situation and whichever service a person turns to, making sure that any intervention is carried out without any unnecessary or inappropriate placement; for example within police custody.

Other commitments include:

• People under 18 who experience a mental health crisis should never be held in police custody unless in exceptional circumstances
• Police vehicles will rarely be used to convey people in crisis except the most violent of individuals and only in exceptional cases to transport people between NHS facilities
• NHS transport or other health vehicles, but not necessarily an ambulance, should be commissioned to take people in a mental health crisis to hospital
• If a young person under 18 is detained under section 135 or 136 of the Mental Health Act and taken to a police station for assessment, a case review will be held within seven days to determine whether this could have been avoided in order to learn from that incident
• Monitoring groups within health boards will review every section 135 and 136 detention within police custody to determine its appropriateness.

Health and Social Services Minister, Mark Drakeford said:

“This new agreement is about providing the most appropriate care and support to those facing a mental health crisis, whatever the time, every day of the year.

“It is about all those who have signed up working closely together so we avoid people being wrongly kept in a police cell and instead being given access to the right treatment for them. I am delighted this deal has brought together so many organisations that have a vital role to play.”