Police liaison and section 136: comparison of two different approaches

Area of Science:

• Mental Health Services
• Policing and Criminal Justice
• Public Health

Background:

• Section 136 of the Mental Health Act allows police to detain individuals experiencing a mental health crisis.
• Traditional Section 136 detentions can lead to delays in accessing appropriate mental health care.
• Innovative policing and mental health liaison models are needed to improve outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of two different police liaison schemes on Section 136 detentions and subsequent patient outcomes.
• To compare the effectiveness of a co-located mental health nurse model versus a control room advisory model.

Main Methods:

• Two Section 136 schemes were implemented within an NHS trust, involving mental health nurses working with frontline police or providing remote advice.
• Section 136 detention data, including assessment numbers, outcomes, diagnoses, and demographics, were collected over two 6-month periods before and after implementation.
• Statistical analysis examined changes in detention numbers and admission proportions.

Main Results:

• The co-located mental health nurse model demonstrated a significant 38% reduction in Section 136 detentions (P < 0.01) and a significant increase in subsequent admissions (P = 0.01).
• The control room advisory scheme resulted in no significant change in Section 136 detentions (P = 0.16) and a non-significant decrease in admissions.

Conclusions:

• Integrating mental health nurses with frontline police significantly improves the management of individuals detained under Section 136.
• This collaborative approach enhances both the reduction of detentions and the appropriateness of subsequent care pathways.
• Police control room support models appear less effective in improving Section 136 outcomes compared to co-location.