Improved care and support for people in mental health crisis

District nurses are increasingly required to manage the physical health needs of patients who misuse substances or have mental health problems. Some patients have a mental health crisis in the community and come to the attention of the police. Concern over the use of police powers to detain people in a mental health crisis and in particular the use police cells as a place of safety has led to changes in the law. In this article the author updates district nurses on the amendments to police powers under the Mental Health Act 1983 introduced by the Policing and Crime Act 2017, part 4 chapter 4 designed to better manage those people experiencing a mental health crisis.