Jim Battle Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner and Laura Mercer Partnerships Office will attend the meeting to report on the work undertaken to support people with mental health problems; expansion of the Sanctuary Programme in the East of Greater Manchester and the suicide prevention work undertaken by the police and crime commissioner’s office.
Minutes:
Members of the Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee considered a verbal presentation from Jim Battle Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner and Laura Mercer Partnerships Officer. The presentation contained the following information:
The Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner reported that supporting and assisting those with mental health problems is a major issue for police officers and places a great deal of demand on police time. In the past there has been concern about the treatment of some service users at times of crisis; the police have responded but not been able to deliver the service required, service users have been transported in police vans, in some cases for a number of hours and with nowhere else to place them ended up in police custody.
The Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner reported that the police together with partners are working to prevent, intervene and support people in crisis. The Devolution Manchester arrangements provide a new opportunity to develop and integrate these services. A Greater Manchester Mental Health and Wellbeing strategy has been agreed, this comprehensive strategy, developed with partners, has a focus on prevention and the service users being able to access an appropriate response.
The Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner reported that a new “Sanctuary” Scheme provides a local safe place for people to go for those who are or fear they may be nearing crisis point.
The Partnerships Officer reported that the police now provide police officers to act as a single point of contact in respect of mental health issues. Greater Manchester Police and Pennine Care Foundation Trust will now provide reciprocal training within each organisations in respect of restraint handling and identifying signs of mental health distress.
The Partnerships Officer informed members of the committee of the Rapid Assessment pilot scheme in Oldham. The service is available twenty four hours, seven days a week and enables the police to access a mental health professional to offer advice and support. If the member of the public is known to mental health services than the advice can be appropriate to their needs. The Deputy Police and Crime and Commissioner reported that the police need to avoid a situation where two police officers are tied up at A&E for a number of hours waiting for a patient to be assessed.
The Partnerships Officer reported that the threshold is too high for accessing mental health services and work is underway with partner agencies to prevent service users from reaching crisis point. Small grants will be available for the voluntary sector to provide peer support to those suffering from low level mental health problems.
There is no section 136 suite available for Manchester city residents, Pennine Care provide support on an interim basis.
In response to a Member’s question, the Partnerships Officer reported that the health care in custody contract is currently out for tender. The tender has been revised to reflect the findings from the recently undertaken health needs assessment. There is a greater emphasis on support provided to those suffering with mental health problems. On too many occasions members of the public arrive in custody, are referred on to a service for support for their mental health problems and fail to attend. The new health care in custody contract will provide support and peer mentoring to help service users to attend appointments.
The Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner reported that the Sanctuary schemed will be expanded, CCG Commissioners are considering expanding the service across Greater Manchester.
It was agreed:
1. That the Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner and the Partnerships Officer be thanked for their attendance.
2. The Greater Manchester Mental Health Strategy be forwarded to members of the Joint Committee.
3. The Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner be invited to attend a future meeting of the Joint Committee to discuss the Mental Health Strategy.