Cumbria police is adopting a new operating model to help people who need specialist support and free up officers to deal with crimes.
Right Care, Right Person is about ensuring that people in need of specialist help receive that help from the right organisation – whether that is the police or a partner agency, the force said.
The new model will come into effect in Cumbria for adults only from May 14.
Changes will relate to calls about:
- Concerns for the welfare of a person including people who have walked out of a healthcare setting
- People who are absent without authorised leave from mental health services
- Medical incidents
Cumbria police said: “If someone contacts us about concerns for the welfare of a person including people who have walked out of a healthcare setting, people who are absent without authorised leave from mental health services or any other medical incident, they will be advised to contact the appropriate organisation.
“What will not change is our response to a call for service where there is a risk to life or of serious harm to a person or a crime is involved or it involves a child, whether that’s to the person in crisis themselves or other people.
“This will save in excess of 100 police deployments a week that can now be used to focus more on core policing matters.”
It said the move will make sure the correct agency and best-trained individuals are able to respond to the appropriate calls for services, it was expected to free up many officer hours per year, allowing the constabulary to focus on the core police issues they are trained for, such as preventing and investigating crime, catching criminals and supporting victims.
Detective Superintendent Dan St Quintin said:
“The time our officers currently spend responding to health incidents is significant and that, inevitably, impacts on our resources and our ability to respond to crime and other issues which are priorities for the public.
“We have a duty to prevent and investigate crime and to keep people safe and this will help us to balance those duties more effectively.
“However, I must stress that we are not stepping away from all health-related or concern for welfare incidents and will always attend where there is a threat to life or serious harm to both an individual, or others around them.
“We are positive and enthusiastic regarding the beneficial effects this change will have for the public and are working hard to ensure it is implemented as effectively as possible here in Cumbria.
“We have worked very closely with partner agencies since July last year on implementing the new operating model with the goal of making the transition as smooth as possible.
“While the new model changes our approach to some calls for service, it does not impact our response to incidents where there is a risk to life or of serious harm to a person, whether that’s to the person in crisis themselves or other people.”
Fleur Carney, director mental health, Cancer and Cancer Alliance Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board, said: “We have been working closely with Cumbria police and other partners across the county in support of the implementation.
“It is essential that people across Cumbria are able to access the correct support from suitably trained professionals when they need it. We will continue to work collaboratively with our colleagues in Cumbria police.”
Levi Buckley, chief delivery officer at NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board, said: “The police have a vital role to play, but there are times when a different service is better placed to meet a person’s needs.
“Right Care Right Person means we can identify the most appropriate service to provide care on each occasion, and be more responsive to each person’s mental health needs.
“The different partner agencies have planned this change with great care, to make sure that people across the county get the support they need, from the people best qualified and trained to provide it.”
What people should do
- If you, or someone you know, is experiencing a mental health crisis, call NHS 111 and select option 2 for 24/7 access to urgent mental health support.
- If you have difficulties communicating or hearing, you can call 18001 111 using the Relay UK app, or go to signvideo.co.uk/nhs111 for the British Sign Language interpreter service.
- If you or someone else has physically harmed themselves, or if someone’s life is at risk, call 999 or go to A&E.
