POLICE may not always respond to some incidents under a system shake-up as a senior officer says the force does not want to criminalise mental health.

West Mercia Police, alongside other forces across England and Wales, will not always respond to mental health calls as part of ‘Right Care, Right Person’ to free up a million hours of police time. They will still respond if there is a threat to life.

The initiative has already been adopted by West Mercia Police and since its launch in April this year calls to police have been triaged to ensure health incidents are dealt with by the most appropriate agency. However, some mental health charities have expressed concern.

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Dr Sarah Hughes, chief executive of Mind, said: “The way this decision has been framed is deeply worrying and sends completely the wrong message to the public and to local police forces.

"One in four of us has a mental health problem. This decision has the potential to affect any of us. Above all, at the heart of any decision like this should be the people that the police serve not the potential hours of work saved."

Assistant chief constable Rachel Jones said: “Police officers and staff are inherently caring people and therefore want to do the very best they can to help people in our communities, particularly those who are most vulnerable.

“When we are called about issues that do not require police intervention it is our natural response to want to help.

“However, we know that police are quite often not the right people to provide the required support.

“Police attendance can have a detrimental impact on the individual, for example they may feel they are being criminalised due to their health or social care issues and could lead to a delay in the appropriate care being initiated.

“In most cases the individual would be much better served by an appropriate professional who has the right skills, training, and experience.

“Since its launch in April our approach has put the public first and the individual at the very heart of our decision to ensure the most appropriate agency responds."

She said over the last year police have worked with the NHS, councils and West Midlands Ambulance Services, amongst others, to address the most appropriate care pathways for those who need health, social care or other assistance where there is no policing requirement.

She added: “Calls from members of the public raising concern for the welfare of an individual will continue to be considered and assessed by our control room to see if the police are the right people to provide the right care."