Section 136 intervention
Freedom of Information Act request number: 2022-150
Version date: 18/05/2022
The Prevention Department have provided the following information:
I have been researching the detention of people who are mentally ill or in crisis through Section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983. Many attempts have, over recent years, been made to reduce the number of people who are detained under this provision
Forces have adopted many different interventions to try and prevent these detentions. I have set out below several of these.
I would like to ask under the FOI, which of these - if any - are in operation in your force area. You may also operate more than one for example it may be different in rural and urban areas, or it may differ in different Health Authority areas. It may also be that you operate something else altogether, in which case could I ask what for a brief description of it.
The 3 commonest interventions include:
- Highly trained police officers who respond to mental health incidents.
Dorset Police Officer’s receive College of Policing Authorised Professional Practice (APP) statutory mental health modules during the initial training period.
Ongoing training for all Police Officers and Staff is currently coordinated through partnership led working groups. Expert led tutorials are being developed that will provide bespoke guidance to a police officer or staff responding to mental health crisis.
- Joint 'triage' patrols of police officers and mental health professionals who respond to incidents.
Dorset Police participated in a mental health vehicle response trial that, in addition to a mental health professional, included the South West Ambulance Service Trust (SWAST).
Subsequently SWAST withdrew from the model having developed a mental triage function within their control room.
As of now Dorset Police does not participate in a patrol model of mental health response with partners.
- A telephone 'triage' system where officers can ring a mental health professional when they are dealing with someone who is mentally ill to seek advice before they detain someone.
Dorset Police currently has a triage system facilitated by mental health professionals.
Additionally, Officers can contact ‘Connections’, which is part of Access Mental Health Dorset, for advice. In addition to giving advice Connections also advises Officers of availability of the ‘drop-in’ services that Officers are able to transport a person to receive face to face help and support