Mind responds to new figures on incarceration of the mentally ill
Paul Farmer, chief executive of the mental health charity Mind, said:
"It's encouraging news that police cells are being used less frequently as a place of safety for people experiencing mental health crises. We know that the police and the NHS are working together to reduce the use of police cells as part of the Crisis Care Concordat and we would expect to see a continued downward trend as local areas put their concordat action plans into practice.
"When you are in crisis you are at your most vulnerable and urgently need proper care in a therapeutic environment. Police cells are not an appropriate place for people in crisis and should only ever be used in exceptional circumstances. Often people end up in police cells because there is no health-based alternative - the NHS must increase the provision of suitable alternative places of safety to reduce the numbers still further."
