TRAINING for frontline police officers in North Yorkshire could help shape the way police in the UK respond to people with mental ill health.

The police force is collaborating with the University of York, mental health professionals and the College of Policing in delivering a new programme which will involve training randomly selected police officers and police community support officers across North Yorkshire.

It is designed to increase awareness and identification of mental health vulnerabilities, improving the recording of incidences involving people with mental ill-health and skills in communicating with people in mental distress. It will also clarify how referrals can be made from police to mental health services and working other agencies.

Training for the Connect project has been developed by Professor Martin Webber and Dr Nicola Moran, from the Department of Social Policy and Social Work at the university, in conjunction with Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust. North Yorkshire Police’s mental health partnership development Inspector Bill Scott also helped devise the training.

Inspector Scott added: “Police officers are not mental health experts but much of their work revolves around interaction with people with some degree of mental ill health – from mild to those in crisis.

“They could be a victim of crime, a witness, a suspect or someone in crisis who turns to the police as a cry for help.

“The training is designed to help officers and staff recognise the signs of mental ill health and the best course of action to take, what advice to seek and what other agencies can assist the person.

“We are pleased to be at the forefront of this vital area of training for the police service which is long overdue.”

Dr Moran said: “A significant amount of police time is spent dealing with incidents involving people who are mentally vulnerable. Whilst we are acutely aware that police officers are not, and indeed should not be, experts in mental health, they are often the first responders and yet have minimal training in this area.

"The data collected from these randomised control trials will be invaluable.

“It will be evaluated and used to make recommendations to NYP and the College of Policing to help shape future mental health training for front-line officers."

To keep up to date with the work of the Connect project, visit www.connectebp.org and follow on Twitter @Connectebp