AVON and Somerset Police have launched the first phase of the national initiative ‘Right Care Right Person’ to ensure vulnerable people receive the most appropriate support.

This approach changes how the police respond to calls about mental health and wellbeing, making sure the right professionals are involved. 

Right Care Right Person (RCRP) involves collaboration between police and healthcare services to handle concern for safety calls more effectively. Call handlers will assess if a police response is necessary or if a healthcare professional is better suited to help.

This initiative ensures that individuals get the specialised support they need from healthcare professionals, allowing police to focus more on crime prevention and protecting our communities.

Assistant Chief Constable Jon Cummins said: “The key focus of Right Care Right Person is to ensure that community members are getting the most appropriate care from the right service. Part of that is to recognise that the police are not always the best responders for certain incidents, with health and social care partners often equipped to deliver better and more specialist support.

“Of course, police will always attend incidents where there is a threat to life, but we are collaborating closely with our healthcare partners to adapt our service provisions and ensure that people are receiving not just suitable care, but the right care. This in turn will allow us to focus more on our primary purpose to protect our communities and tackle crime.”

To support the new process, Avon and Somerset Police has partnered with the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) to introduce a new Mental Health Link Officer role to better assess and respond to calls. This role has been funded by Avon and Somerset Police, and the NHS Integrated Care Boards for Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire and Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire. 

Matthew Truscott, head of mental health at SWASFT, said: “The Mental Health Link Officer (MHLO) is an innovative resource using an Avon and Somerset Police officer based in our Emergency Operating Centre to support safe and efficient dispatch of emergency vehicles to mental health related 999 calls.”