Julia Mulligan responds to report on use of Section 136 places of safety

In response to today’s report regarding use by police of the places of safety for people detained under the Mental Health Act, North Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Julia Mulligan said:

“A police cell is no place for a person in mental health crisis so it’s good news to see the numbers of these vulnerable people who end up in police custody fall so substantially. Given that we were the last place in the country to introduce hospital-based alternatives to cells, this a real achievement for everyone concerned.

“However, more needs to be done as gaps in the service remain. In particular, I want to see the end of people in crisis being transported in the back of police vans, instead of ambulances. We also need to ensure that vital mental health street triage services are maintained.

“Partners also need to ensure there are sufficient facilities for children. This is especially important as new legislation will soon outlaw their detention in police cells. “

The report is at:
http://www.npcc.police.uk/documents/edhr/2015/Section%20136%20MHA%20201415%20Data.pdf