A pilot scheme providing extended out-of-hours mental health care to distressed or vulnerable people has seen positive results and is set to continue.
The initiative is aimed at individuals who come in contact with police and who could be referred by an officer to a Community Psychiatric Nurse (CPN) for professional support.
Front line officers are able to communicate through a special telephone line with CPNs regarding potentially vulnerable people, helping them make a more informed decision on their situation and provide them with the necessary support.
The CPN's role is to advise the attending officer and consult with the individual deemed at risk. If needed, a face-to-face assessment or hospital visit can be arranged.
The project ran between January and June this year within Greater Glasgow, Renfrewshire, Inverclyde and West Dunbartonshire, with officers in the pilot areas coming into contact with 234 individuals in distress or suffering from mental health issues out of hours.
A total of 96% (225) of those people were fit and well enough to remain at home after being assessed by the CPNs and in no need of further intervention. Nine people were admitted to hospital.
Chief Inspector Rosie Wright said: "Police officers come into contact with people in distress on a regular basis. The Community Triage service provided valuable guidance and professional support to keep people safe out of hours, and on the vast majority of occasions within their own homes.
"The CPNs thereafter made referrals to the most appropriate daytime services, ensuring ongoing support is provided to those who need it most in order for them to manage their own situations at home.
"Police Scotland's Community Triage partnership work with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Crisis Out of Hours CPN Service has had a very positive impact on the service we deliver to vulnerable members of the community."
Jamie Hepburn, the minister for mental health, said: "We will all do better in engaging with distress if we are compassionate and have a common understanding of the best ways to help people.
"If we do that, the evidence tells us that people in distress are more likely to engage with or stay connected to services or support that may help them over time."
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