Mr Charles Walker – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Charles Walker on 2014-02-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police forces in England have signed local protocols for those detained under the Mental Health Act 1983.

Damian Green

I understand that, as of 13 May 2014, 36 of the 39 territorial police forces in
England – plus British Transport Police – are currently signed up to local
protocols for those detained under the Mental Health Act 1983. The other 3
forces report that they are in the process of agreeing such protocols with
local partner agencies.

The agreement of mental health protocols by local agencies is promoted at
national level, including through the Mental Health Act 1983 Codes of Practice
and the new national Mental Health Crisis Care Concordat, which states that:

‘Every area should have a local protocol in place, agreed by NHS commissioners,
the police force, the ambulance service, and social services. This should
describe the approach to be taken when a police officer uses powers under the
Mental Health Act’.

The Mental Health Crisis Care Concordat can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/281242
/36353_Mental_Health_Crisis_accessible.pdf

The Department of Health, supported by the Home Office and Mind, is encouraging
local areas to sign-up to the principles of the Concordat, with the expectation
that all areas in England will have signed local declarations by December
2014. The Department of Health will publish details of the areas that have
signed such declarations.