Northern Ireland police shift mental health responses to health services
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The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) will stop carrying out concern-for-welfare checks unless a crime is involved or there is a risk to life or harm.
Starting in November, the PSNI will implement the Right Care Right Person policy, which requires emergency handlers to triage 999 calls and direct them to health, social care, or community services instead of police officers.
Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson told a Stormont committee that the PSNI currently receives thousands of calls regarding people in potential danger, but only 3% of those incidents involve a crime. The new policy aims to ensure that individuals receive care from the most appropriate professional. Supporters of the shift argue that police presence can be frightening to those in a mental health crisis and that the move could prevent tragedies.
Charles Little, a campaigner, noted that the policy might have prevented the 2017 murders of his relatives by ensuring a more appropriate response to a man with paranoid schizophrenia. However, some professionals expressed concern over the capacity of the health sector to absorb these extra calls. Dr Ross Irvine of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Northern Ireland stated that 30% of mental health posts across the province are currently vacant.
George Hannah of the British Association of Social Workers added that social workers worry there are not enough resources to handle the influx safely. While Professor Siobhan O'Neill, a mental health champion, supports the policy as a necessary step, she noted that a lack of investment in alternative services remains a concern.
