Mental health in policing and police custody

This report was published by the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee of the National Assembly for Wales in October 2019.

It followed two Assembly Committee inquiries (the Emotional and Mental Health of Children and Young People, and Suicide Prevention) during which its members heard from police representatives that an increasing amount of police resource was being used on managing mental health crises.

This was also raised in a thematic review by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) in November 2018. 

The committee held a short inquiry with a focus on partnership working between the police, health and social care services and others to consider how effectively services are working together in Wales to prevent people with mental health problems being taken into police custody, and to help ensure vulnerable people in mental health crisis get the care and support they need.

The committee made 11 recommendations.

Read the committee's report.

Read the Welsh Government's responses.