People in need deserve better than a few patchy pilot schemes. It’s time to fill the gaps in our over-stretched police and mental health services
You’re walking domestic late one night and you see a person,visibly distressed and shouting, zig-zagging down the middle of a busy road. What attain you attain? You’re first intuition is more than likely to call the police. Whether it’s substance misuse or mental distress, and the police – not health professionals – have become the first port of call for vulnerable people. It’s a trend that needs urgent attention.
That UK police are spending as much as 40% of their time dealing with incidents related to mental health problems won’t come as a surprise to those working on the frontline in policing,or in health. The police have always had to deal with callouts where mental illness is a factor, but never before in a climate of such severe cuts across public services. Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com