Plans for NHS staff to restrain those in mental health crisis ‘dangerous’, medics say | Mental health
Plans NHS Doctors, nurses and psychiatrists have warned that employees who suffer from curbing and detaining people with mental health crisis, instead of the police to do so “dangerous”.
Former Prime Minister Theresa May proposed legislation in England Wales that would change the long -awaited practice to deal with people who may pose a threat to themselves or others because their mental health has deteriorated sharply.
However, an eight alliance of medical groups, ambulance heads and social work leaders said that the key would put mental health staff and harm their relationship to patients at risk.
It resonated to mix with the controversy raised by the Metropolitan police decision in 2023 To stop Unless it has a threat to life. The force said that change means that the officers were bringing crimes such as robbery faster, but mental health groups They said they are afraid that this would lead to deaths.
The May ministers and two former health ministers, Sayed Kamal and Frederick Corsone, offered amendments to the draft mental health law that passes through Parliament, which, if passed health It represents. Each of these professionals will become a “accredited person” allowed to be detained by a person under the law.
May was an active interest in mental health issues during her period as Minister of the country and in Downing Street. It helped ensure the detention of detainees under the law in the police cells, and instead they were transferred to “safe places”, usually in NHS facilities.
But in a joint statement on Monday, the eight groups said that the risks that a person in the mental health crisis means that police officers should always continue to attend. The royal collections include psychiatrists, the Royal College of Nursing and the British Medical Association.
At present, only police officers under mental health law are allowed to detain a person in the mental health crisis, for example because they suffer from a psychotic cycle.
The groups said: “The removal of the police completely has very serious effects, as entering a person’s house without permission is fraught with great dangers, and is currently being only with the help of police intelligence. Without this, professionals may enter homes without the help of the police and thus lack the decisive intelligence that can guarantee their safety.”
They added: “While we realize the tremendous pressures facing police services, we also admit that mental health crises in society have become increasingly sharp and never occur without a level of risk.
“Experience, skills and equipment for the police remain necessary to safely reach individuals in crises, especially when they are in immediate danger to themselves, they risk others or face a threat from others.”
Dr. Lyd Smith, head of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said: “If it is necessary, then someone is maintaining them mainly and doing so safely requires specialized skills and legal forces.
“Doctors, whose role is to provide therapeutic care to arrest people on the street or break into their homes if they notice that someone suffers from a mental health crisis is simply inappropriate and indicates an lack of understanding of what healthy professionals do.”
Police chief supports change. They want to see the responsibility for dealing with mental health crises divided between their officers and NHS employees.
“We support the proposed amendments to the draft mental health law, which will enable accredited medical professionals to deal effectively with some mental health incidents. This will ensure that weakened persons get the most appropriate care without feeling the criminal due to mental health problems.”
They added: “We will always attend incidents where there is a risk of serious damage to the individual or participating professionals, or where crime is involved.”
The groups opposing the plan also include the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, which represent the A & E doctors, the paramedic college, the ambulance association, the British Society for Social Workers and the Association of Social Services Directors for adults.
Labor Chairman Rosenna Allen Khan, Minister of Ministers in the previous shade of the party, who is also a doctor, has expressed discomfort.
She said: “I am concerned that these amendments aim to convert practitioners into perpetrators and may endanger health care staff to increase the danger. He is at risk of eroding confidence in dedicated mental health employees by delegating the police authorities to them.”
The ministers are also against change. A spokesman for the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare said: “The expansion of police powers to other professionals will represent a major shift in roles, responsibilities and practice for health and care employees and will put additional resources on NHS already extending as we are trying to rebuild a suitable health service for the future.
“It also raises questions about whether it is appropriate for health and social care professionals to have powers to use a reasonable force, which can have effects on the patient’s safety, public and employees, as well as destroying relations doctors with patients.”
