Beds Police to focus on crime as new initiative for mental health calls launches
Right Care Right Person will see a reduction in the forces' involvement in responding to mental health incidents
Bedfordshire Police are changing the amount of involvement they have in mental health incidents, as a new initiative is being launched today (January 31).
The force are adopting Right Care Right Person, after responding to over 14,000 reports of concern for welfare and over 5000 reports relating to mental health from July 2022 to June 2023.
Right Care Right Person aims to make sure that vulnerable people get the best support, from those most efficiently trained in the matter, and sees Bedfordshire Police work closely with other services in the area, enabling the force to focus more on crime.
They will still be responding to 999 calls relating to mental health, if there is threat to life or serious harm to both an individual or those around them.
“Our police officers currently spend a significant amount of time dealing with health incidents, which inevitably has on an impact on our resources and our ability to respond to crime issues that really matter to people."
**Chief Superintendent Jaki Whittred, Head of Local Policing at Bedfordshire Police, said:** “Our officers respond to many different incidents, but this does not mean we are always the right people, particularly when it comes to certain health related matters.
“There are circumstances where our partners in health or social care are the most appropriate professionals to offer help and support to vulnerable people.
“Our police officers currently spend a significant amount of time dealing with health incidents, which inevitably has on an impact on our resources and our ability to respond to crime issues that really matter to people.
“We have a duty to prevent and investigate crime and to keep people safe. RCRP will help us to balance those duties more effectively.
“However, we want to be clear that we are not stepping away from health-related incidents and will always attend where there is a threat to life or serious harm to both an individual, or others around them.
“We have been working alongside our partners in health and social care so they can make the necessary changes to their service provision and ensure vulnerable people are given the best possible care by the appropriate agency.”
**Dr Elena Baker-Glenn, Clinical Director for Crisis Pathway and Perinatal at East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT), said:** “We have been working closely with Bedfordshire Police and other system partners across Bedfordshire and Luton in support of the implementation of Right Care Right Person.
“It is essential that people across Bedfordshire and Luton are able to access the correct support from suitably trained professionals when they need it. We will continue to work collaboratively with our colleagues in Bedfordshire Police.”
The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust are also working alongside the force, as well as health and care providers to help support people in the best way possible.
**A spokesperson for EEAST said:** “Alongside our partners we provide dedicated mental health response vehicles to the whole of the East of England. We have plans to add 12 new mental health vehicles to our fleet this year. These new vehicles will allow us to help more people in mental health crisis.
“We also have a team of mental healthcare professionals at EEAST and have plans to expand this specialist workforce ensuring our staff can support people experiencing mental ill health.”
## How will the decision be made if police or other agencies need to attend?
Details of Right Care Right Person state that a 'national toolkit' has been devised to support policing in its enforcement of the scheme, by the National Police Chiefs' Council, alongside the College of Policing.
Call handlers are trained to establish risks, and to decide whether a police response is required.
## How will it be rolled out?
On Bedfordshire Police's website, where details of Right Care Right Person can be found, the force say it will be rolled out in a phased approach:
- Phase one - concern for welfare
- Phase two - walkout of healthcare facilities and AWOL from a mental health establishment
- Phase three – transportation
- Phase four - Section 136 of the Mental Health Act and voluntary mental health patients
Missing person cases are also among the decisions which will be taken care by case, due to the varying level of information provided in cases - and say in October 2020, the Missing Adults from Health and Care Settings framework was published to assist police officers in making those decisions.
You can read more about Bedfordshire Police's involvement and the Right Care Right Person, here.