Norfolk Police launching 'Right Care, Right Person' initiative today
It was delayed in Norfolk after the deaths of four people in Costessey in January
Norfolk Police are launching the Right Care Right Person (RCRP) initiative across the county today.
The force hopes it will better target help and welfare support for people in Norfolk from the right agency, though it has proved controversial with some campaigners worried those needing help will 'fall through the cracks'.
RCRP has already been running in a number of other forces and is set to be rolled out across all forces in the UK.
It was delayed in Norfolk after the deaths of four people in Costessey in January 2024.
Following this incident, and at the request of Norfolk’s Chief Constable Paul Sanford, Giles Orpen-Smellie – Norfolk’s then Police and Crime Commissioner - commissioned His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) to inspect the force’s control room, focusing on how 999 calls are handled and responded to.
The constabulary also asked the College of Policing to review its RCRP implementation plans, including its training to officers and staff.
Now, the force says it's ready to launch RCRP in the county.
What is RCRP?
Developed by Humberside Police, RCRP is supported by partnership work between police forces, health providers and the Government.
The aim is for the right agency and appropriate professionals to deal with health-related calls rather than police being the default first responder.
In 2023, Norfolk Constabulary received 22,959 welfare calls (12% of overall demand), with officers attending 12,638 of those calls (55%).
These calls included medical health, mental health and social care related issues.
A review by the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) also recently found police officers nationally are spending just under one million hours sat with mental health patients in hospitals waiting for assessment.
"Committed to protecting the most vulnerable"
Norfolk Police tells us the force "remains committed to protecting the most vulnerable and will continue to attend incidents where there is a risk to life or serious harm".
Where this isn't the case, they say "callers will be signposted to the most appropriate agency".
Assistant Chief Constable Nick Davison, who has been overseeing the implementation of RCRP, said: “This initiative has always been about getting people in crisis the right care, from the right professional.
“While we believed it was right to introduce RCRP and were fully prepared to go live in February, we postponed the roll-out to give us extra time to provide additional information and reassurance to the public and our partners, to address the concerns and commentary brought about by the tragic events in Costessey.
“The inspection by HMICFRS and the peer review by the College of Policing has given us that additional reassurance.”
"Working collaboratively and carefully together"
Tracey Bleakley, Chief Executive Officer, NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board (ICB), said: “All partners are committed to working collaboratively and carefully together to implement the Right Care, Right Person model.
“We have taken steps to tailor the model for Norfolk and are working together with our partners in health and social care, so we can make the necessary changes to service provision and ensure vulnerable people are given appropriate care by the appropriate agency.
"We have also been collaborating with local experts by experience as part of this work and will continue to monitor the implementation across Norfolk.”