Police on call of duty

A PIONEERING new phone scheme offering police officers access to expert advice to help them deal with mental-health related incidents is being piloted in Oldham.

Run in partnership with the police and Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, the project will ensure officers can react the right way should the need arise.

Officers dealing with emergency situations will be able to call a specialist nurse to be told the most appropriate way to act. In the past officers have had to make decisions themselves without knowing if the individual concerned is known to mental-health services or how best to deal with th situation.

The service is being piloted in the borough for three months, 24 hours a day.

The pilot scheme, which began on December 2, has been funded by the Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd and Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust.

Mr Lloyd said: “This is a common sense and welcome step in making sure vulnerable people are getting the care they need, and is exactly why I set aside £200,000 in the police budget to look at innovative ways to address this difficult issue.

“I hope this pilot can be taken up by other areas of Greater Manchester and across the country.”