47 replies to this topic

[southglos]

Hi Southglos,

 

yes MHC's blog is very infomative and has been a really useful tool over the last 3 months for me to use as both an educational resource and point of reference.

I'm clad to say that since I OP this thread that I have gained a much greater knowledge of the subject both from a   police and NHS aspect and of course people that have experienced being sectioned..

 

I would also like to say that much of the academic evidence does confirm that POs (in general), do have in the main (through their work experience ),

a proven track record of successful implimentation.

In fact there is evidence that supports a more positive feed back from service users with regard to the police as apposed to some NHS staff.

I would be intriged to hear more of your conclusions as what I have seen and read suggests that there is a lot of confusion on the implentation of the MH act leading to a patchy implimetation by both services.

[SimonT]

I'm still unclear as to what extra police training is needed. The police take people to get mental health assistance every single day of the year.
Sometimes it doesnt work out great, but once you get past the media drooling over what happes it usually seems that the police did fine.

[gripper]

Maybe we should teach the MH staff,how to lock doors. That would solve 50% of the problems.

[Sub-seven]

In my area we have allocated a team whose primary role is to be in the area of our local shiny new hospital to deal with the absconder/misper reports that come in from the relevant ward once we have left people in their care.

[gripper]

Maybe we could get their staff, to report a few burglaries for us!.

[southglos]

I'm still unclear as to what extra police training is needed. The police take people to get mental health assistance every single day of the year.
Sometimes it doesnt work out great, but once you get past the media drooling over what happes it usually seems that the police did fine.

I agree that the police get involved in dealing with mental health assistance (?) every single day and that need to see past the media hype which is often ill informed ad damaging. 

 

BUT the polices role has become a lot more than just taking people to get MH assistance  (if available) and even doing so can be fraught with pitfalls.  

 

See multiple posts by MHC, Nathan Constable etc etc explaining this much better than I can (they are both serving officers) with MHC in particular being an expert in this role. With strigent cuts to an already creaking MHS the police have had to take on a much wider role in mental health issues. 

 

For instance their cells are often used all too frequently as places of safety under the MHA when the legislation says they should only ever be used as a place of last resort.  As well as leading to the crimilisation of MH patients which in itself is not appropriate it also ties up limited vavuable police resources.  Police Officers are not trained MH staff yet are being asked to be responsible for patients with complex mental health issues whilst in their custody without the knowledge or support to do so.

 

A very small example of the problem are the different methods of restraint and equipment needed to deal with patients self harming or being violent with mental health issues. Added to which police have little or no training for example in recognising clinically significant features in patients they have detained; yet failure to do so can have dire consequences.   I am not advocating police being trained to the level of MHS professionals AS THEY SHOULD NOT BE PUT IN THIS POSITION EXCEPT IN AN EMERGENCY.  Yet the police are being used more and more to plug gaps in the MHS.

 

The MHS needs a much better understanding of the MHA as well as the police! From AMHP to PTSO it is important each knows and understands how they fit into the system relating to mental health, who has the power to do what and who is appropraite to deal with a stituation.

 

In conclusion I am not denergrating the polices responce or behaviour merely supporting the point that they would be assisted in this enforced role by better training and support. On a final point please see http://nathanconstab...ve-me-two-days/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Again I refer you to the excellant blog post by Nathan Constable called give me two days which can be found at http://nathanconstable.wordpress.com/2013/03/13/give-me-two-days/ 

[angie101]

I would be intriged to hear more of your conclusions as what I have seen and read suggests that there is a lot of confusion on the implentation of the MH act leading to a patchy implimetation by both services.

 

Hi,

I believe that this is the most recent review (2010) of s136 MHA.

It is an examination of numerable studies that have been carried out.

 

http://msl.rsmjourna...&source=mfr

 

(Journal of The British Academy of Forensic Sciences)   

Edited by Fedster, 26 March 2013 - 08:31 PM.
Link Corrected

[popularfurball]

I cant find the thing i was replying to now, maybe i am losing my mind a little<br />

<br /><br />Sorry SimonT<br /><br />I have gone back to review this thread. My original post I would guess is the one which you are referring to - the one which is non sensical and not correct...<br /><br />What I should have said was, in a private property, ambulance have the same powers as police where mental health is concerned - the MCA as i dont think S136 applies?<br /><br />However, we are regularly called to assist with someone at home who is experiencing mental health illness - where I'm under the impression the amb could deal (ie. they are not knife wielding, violent etc). <br /><br />(This is not meant as an attack towards ambulance, I think it is a great service under significant strain - it is more directed at legislation difficulties).<br /><br />Sorry for confusion in my first post!