The controversial four-stage Mental Health Response Change programme started a year ago. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
The police are introducing higher thresholds for responding to calls from mental health workers to help deal with unwell patients or those who abscond.
It is the third phase of the controversial four-stage Mental Health Response Change programme, which started a year ago as part of the police pull-back from responding to mental distress call-outs.
Under phase three, which kicks in on Monday:
- Non-emergency mental health-related requests will be assessed against updated guidance to determine if police assistance is required. This includes requests for assistance under legislation, requests for assistance from in-patient mental health units and other requests from mental health services to police.
- Reports of missing persons with mental health concerns (including those who have left mental health facilities and services or EDs) will be assessed against updated guidance to determine the appropriate police involvement.
Over the past 12 months, police have gradually withdrawn their support at mental health callouts, including at inpatient wards, community facilities, during transportation and at emergency departments, and banned mental health assessments in custody suites.
Moves leaves 'unacceptable gaps' - union
The Public Service Association (PSA) condemned the change programme, saying it left mental health workers and patients unacceptably vulnerable to harm. National secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said the changes were "dangerous and will cause harm".
"We call on Health NZ to properly consider the support needed given the withdrawal of police from this important work."
For both new procedures, staff could engage police only when there was "an imminent threat" to life or property.
The change also meant that these emergency calls would be triaged along with every other request that came through the 111 line, Fitzsimons said.
Fleur Fitzsimons. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
"Mental health nurses and healthcare assistants work in what can be quite dangerous conditions, with very unwell people who can act unpredictably - they must have a direct line to police.
"Health NZ has said it does not expect them to put themselves in harm's way, but the reality is that for many situations workers must at least do an assessment in-person, leaving themselves open to verbal and physical abuse.
"Furthermore, mental healthcare is legally highly complex. Security staff, for example, don't have the same rights under the Mental Health Act as clinicians do. There are a whole lot of practical realities Health NZ seems to refuse to acknowledge."
Mental health staff were worried for patients as well as their own safety.
"Mental health workers understand that the police can't do everything. But there are a whole lot of what-ifs that haven't been thought through, and at the end of the day patients and families are the ones who miss out."
'Police will continue to be involved if there is offending'
In a joint statement, Health NZ and the police said today's changes followed the "successful rollout" of Phases One and Two.
Police Assistant Commissioner Mike Johnson said Health NZ and police were committed to working together to safely introduce the changes for those in mental distress and for staff.
"Under Phase Three, any non-emergency requests for assistance and missing person reports from mental health services will be assessed against updated guidance that considers the immediate safety risk and if there is a risk of significant future harm that police powers or capabilities are required to prevent."
The changes aligned with the goal to free up police to be redeployed to do work only they could do, he said.
"Police will continue to be involved if there is offending, of a level that we would normally attend, or an immediate risk to life or safety - as has always been the case."
Health NZ director of specialist mental health and addiction Karla Bergquist said the safety and well-being of patients and staff delivering their care was "paramount".
"The detailed planning work for Phase Three identified a range of scenarios which cannot be managed by health practitioners alone, or where there may be a need for police assistance in a coordinated, planned way."
The new procedures had been developed with "clinical input" and there were training materials for staff.
"The public can be assured there is a range of services to help people in mental distress or those who are concerned about the mental health of whānau."
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