Patients At Risk If Met Stops Serving Mental Health Calls

With a significant amount of police resources being spent on responding to mental health call outs, health and crime leaders have known for a long time that something would have to give.

- REBECCA THOMAS

Just last year, during a ride out with London Ambulance Service, The Independent witnessed the moment six police officers were called out to help one mental health patient. On the same day, we visited an A&E with several police officers who had spent almost an entire shift there with patients.

In a report in February, NHS leaders in London warned mental health demand was “impacting London’s ambulance service and police services”. It said that, on average, 385 London Ambulance Service calls a day – around 13 per cent – are linked to mental health crises, while a further 200 calls are made to the Metropolitan Police.

It is an issue that both the NHS and police forces have grappled with for decades. But it was recently brought back into the spotlight when it was revealed Sir Mark Rowley, commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, had written to health leaders, warning the force will stop sending officers to attend thousands of 999 calls about mental health incidents. The ban will only be waived if a threat to life is feared.