Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru |
National Assembly for Wales |
Y Pwyllgor Iechyd, Gofal Cymdeithasol a Chwaraeon |
Health, Social Care and Sport Committee |
Ymchwiliad i iechyd meddwl yng nghyd-destun plismona a dalfa’r heddlu |
Inquiry into Mental health in Policing and Police Custody |
HSCS(5) MHP AI 01 |
|
Ymateb gan False Allegation Support Organisation |
Evidence from False Allegation Support Organisation |
The Health, Social Care and Sport Committee’s spotlight inquiry will focus on partnership working between the police, health and social care services (and others), to prevent people with mental health problems being taken into police custody, to ensure their appropriate treatment while in custody, and to help ensure the right level of support is provided when leaving custody. The inquiry will consider:
The False Allegations Support UK response is below:
Response; In FASO experience from our helpline, there is not sufficient services to support the police; for the lack of identifying those with mental health and disabilities. Those arrested, in our experience are not away to elsewhere and out of police custody. Neither is there recognition of those who have to take medication at certain points as the police often deny the accused’s access to it. This and lack of mental health awareness leads to perceived aggression/shouting inability to respond to question (such as in autism) seeAutistic reasons for not co-operating https://www.autism.org.uk/professionals/others/criminal-justice.aspx the police do not divert relevant people elsewhere.
Response; Those who speak to us about police custody is a frightening place. They consider that being locked up, they are incarcerated, but never under mental health rules, not listened to (nor the family) about closed spaces affecting their disability, not allowed to take medication on time and being denied it etc. this can lead often to lack of control of their emotions, bought on by lack of medication or understanding of what is happening. Being placed in situations they are not listened to, and being identified as having either mental health or medical problems. This is not considered a safe place for those in crisis.
Response; Our callers say, they are not referred under the mental health act so whether there are places of safety FASO are not aware of it, nor are there apparently at police stations.
Response; As in most cases, the police cannot identify this issue and there are no triage nurses at each police station to suggest this to them those who are vulnerable, and one suspects they never convey those with mental health issues to hospital. Dignity and privacy are not part of the roles the police carry out for those who are accused of sex offences or child protection issues
Response; Police do not identify those with mental health or other health issues so do not forward them. They treat them as normal threats, when they become aggressive because of their health condition - and act against them accordingly
Response; FASO have no information of the integration with multi-agency care planning strategies. It has not happened for those falsely accused of sex offences or child protection issues to our knowledge.
Response; From what FASO are told, there is no oversite into what happens to those who claim mental health issues, including ADHD, Autism and medical treatments, such as diabetic’s, where medication is routinely confiscated. The accused are not automatically given/allowed an appropriate person when being interviewed. There appears no ongoing robust training for police officers or provision of such as a triage Dr/nurse to check out immediately those who state they suffer metal health problems, ADHD, Autistics, special needs, or have panic attacks when in enclosed spaces. The Police have no listening ear, when friends or family confirm what the accused persons are saying. The rules for caring for the vulnerable adult, do not work.
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FASO UK Director
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
Data protection laws have changed and that’s great news for you. It means you’ll have more control over your personal information and organisations like FASO must be clearer on how they collect and use that information. We have to ensure that you are happy for your address to remain on the FASO database, please let us know in your response. Here is a small portion of the anonymous statistics that prisoners, families, and those accused and contacted FASO have contributed to. Further statistics are due from the university. . Donations in order to progress further statistical analysis would be gratefully received. http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/25256/1/False%20allegation%20paper%202%20October%202017.pdf