Mentally ill kept in police cells

[in the U.K]



Thousands of people with mental health problems are being detained in police cells rather than being taken to hospital for assessment, a report says.

Over a year, more than 11,500 people were held in police custody for assessment under the Mental Health Act - double the number taken to hospital.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission collated data for all 43 police forces in England and Wales.

IPCC commissioner Ian Bynoe said the situation was "intolerable".

Section 136 of the Mental Health Act enables officers to take someone they believe is suffering from a mental disorder, and in need of immediate care or control, from a public place to a "place of safety" where they can be examined by a doctor and interviewed by an approved social worker.



Full Story at BBC