Taking people to a place of safety under the Mental Health Act from 2018 to 2022
Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.23.028943
I note you seek access to the following information:
1.The number of times the police force has had to take somebody to a place of safety for the purpose of the Mental Health Act in each of the following years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
2.The number of times a police station has been used as a place of safety for the purpose of the Mental Health Act in each of the following years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
3.Any correspondence between the police force and the Home Office regarding time spent by the police force attending to people experiencing a mental health crisis or who needed to be detained under the Mental Health Act since October 2022.
Decision
I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full.
Please find below information pursuant to your request above.
Q1 - The number of times the police force has had to take somebody to a place of safety for the purpose of the Mental Health Act in each of the following years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
| 4417 | 4747 | 5416 | 6012 | 6366 |
Or to match below in financial years
| 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 |
| 4501 | 4877 | 5528 | 6131 |
Q2 - The number of times a police station has been used as a place of safety for the purpose of the Mental Health Act in each of the following years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
This information is only held in financial year. Below are the figures that were submitted to the Home Office as part of the Annual Data Returns.
2018/19 – 1
2019/20 – 9
2020/21 – 20
2021/22 – 10
Q3 - Any correspondence between the police force and the Home Office regarding time spent by the police force attending to people experiencing a mental health crisis or who needed to be detained under the Mental Health Act since October 2022.
No information held.
Searches have been carried out within the Mental Health Team which have not returned any documents in relation to your request. I have been informed that data submission would be through NPCC who would then liaise directly with the Home Office.