Agenda item

1.    Adrian Harper, Chief of Staff for the Kent Police and Crime Commissioner, provided an update on the work of the Commissioner relating to mental health.  Mr Harper explained that focusing on mental health was part of the Commissioner's six point plan and manifesto and that he considered it a 'golden thread' through a significant part of the work of the police and wider criminal justice system.  Providing context, Mr Harper explained that 33% of police activity was related to mental health issues and that while the Police were committed to managing these issues properly, it was important that effective partnership work took place to ensure the right agencies with the right skills and capacity to provide appropriate support were in place.  Mr Harper advised the Committee that the Commissioner was working on this matter as a national issues, linking in with key partners and other Commissioners around the country.

2.    Neil Wickens, Head of Policy and Research at the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, provided further information on the impact of mental health on policing.  He explained that the Commissioner wanted to review key issues and ideas for making better use of the existing Mental Health Concordat.  Mr Wickens outlined the police detention process for those experiencing severe mental health issues, confirming that it was a difficult decision to detain on mental health grounds but reassured the committee that previous reviews had evidenced that the majority of decisions were correct and appropriate under the relevant policies.  He highlighted some challenges such as the fact that once a person has been detained under s.136 of the Mental Health Act, they cannot be un-detained, as one might be de-arrested, until the full assessment process has taken place.  As general demand increased, it placed pressure on the Police for initial management of issues or incidents and also let to mental health crisis teams not have capacity to respond appropriately.

3.    Mr Wickens advised the committee that there had been nine s.136 detentions over the recent weekend which involve over three hundred and fifty Police Officer hours, including the detention in police custody of one individual for fifty-five hours.  Mr Wickens highlighted this as an example of where mental health services needed more capacity and resources to take necessary responsibility for providing suitable detention facilities and appropriate care for individuals in crisis as it was agreed that Police custody was not an appropriate setting.

4.    To support additional resourcing regarding Mental Health, the Commissioner had bid for £9m in funding with MCCH and MIND.  These included a Safe Haven bus for Maidstone.

5.    Mr Wickens explained that Kent & Medway Partnership Trust was intending to centralise its facility for adults and that the Commissioner was supporting this plan.  He also advised the Committee that all this work required strong partnership support and co-ordination, highlighting the Commissioner's request for all partners to come together on this issue.

6.    In terms of enhancing the Police's capacity regarding mental health, Mr Wickens explained the Commissioner had already funding the introduction of staff from MIND to the Kent Police Force Control Room where they assisted in call handling and providing suitable advice on mental health issues.  Mr Wickens confirmed that this funding was due to continue for at least one more year.

7.    Members of the Committee and discussed the update, noting their agreement that Police cells were not appropriate detention options and that more work was needed to identify reasonable alternatives.  Supt Simon Thompson highlighted that Kent Police were working hard to ensure that Officers had a good understanding of mental health issues but confirmed that other partners should provide the main support and interventions.  Nick Wilkinson, KCC Youth Justice Lead, noted that KCC's Adult Safeguarding Board was also concerned about mental health issues and was keen to work with partners on identifying long term solutions.  Ms Mookherjee, KCC Public Health, commented that KCC's suicide prevention work should be linked into this work, alongside consideration of social cohesion and substance misuse which were contributing factors to mental health issues escalating to crisis states.  Eileen Martin noted the Housing Team focus on working on homelessness issues which were commonly associated with mental health, advising the Committee that Housing were keen to assist.

8.    Members of the Committee agreed that ongoing engagement between partners was the appropriate way forward.

RESOLVED that the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner be thanked for the update and that the update be noted.