Image source, bbc

Dr Bennie says so-called legal highs pose difficulties as it can take time for a person to recover and it can be difficult to detect.

He says these patients can be extremely violent and thus difficult to deal with.

Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur says those with drug or alcohol issues are often taken to A&E but they must wait until the effects wear off to be diagnosed.

Mr McArthur says the police are left with the option of taking them home or to the cells.

He says the police usually hold them in cells but do not believe this is the best place for them. 

Dr Peter Bennie from the British Medical Association says it is often impossible to diagnose someone who is intoxicated.

Dr Bennie says there is not really anywhere to put someone where they can sober up to be diagnosed. 

Image source, Getty Images

Passenger satisfaction with ScotRail services has fallen but remains higher than the UK as a whole, despite a series of problems with delays and cancellations.

The latest National Rail Passenger Satisfaction (NRPS) figures, external showed that 83% of those surveyed said they were satisfied with their ScotRail journey.

This was 4% lower than the previous survey, external in June of last year.

The figure for the UK as a whole in the most recent survey was 81%.

The fieldwork for the survey, carried out by Transport Focus, was conducted between September and November 2016.

Image source, bbc

SNP MSP Rona Mackay says with one in four people in Scotland having a mental health issue how are they being served.

Bob Leslie from Social Work Scotland says the money tree is not the magic solution as we have to be realistic and try to tailor services to meet the public's needs.

Mr Leslie says the vast majority of demand for social work are adult protection or welfare concerns coming in every day.   

He says many individuals can be incredibly difficult to engage with due to personality or alcohol and drugs.

Mr Leslie says mental health inpatient beds have been taken away and community services do not match demand. 

David Liddell OBE director of the Scottish Drugs Forum says drug issues affect homelessness and the group, by enlarge, are known to authorities.

Mr Liddell says they are not difficult to reach but are difficult to engage with.

He says some drop in and out of services and are in and out of prison.

Labour MSP Mary Fee focuses on homeless people, saying there are a number of reasons behind there being homeless.

Ms Fee asks how good the services are for homeless people.

Image source, bbc

Cameron Black from the Bethany Christian Trust says the charity works with police a lot and they are very good at dealing with homeless people.

Mr Black says the shelter the charity run are a catch all net, so people are often brought by the police.

He says over recent years the shelters have actually been very full and there is not enough available statutory housing.

Labour MSP Mary Fee asks how the training being given to 17,000 officers is being developed.

ACC Graham says the training has been developed with health organisations and is about raising awareness of issues and the choices that are available in terms of service availability. 

Image source, bbc

ACC Graham says the timing of the public consultation will be before the end of March.

Labour MSP Mary Fee asks how will Police Scotland ensure it always has the capacity to deal with vulnerable people.

ACC Graham says that is the key to the public consultation.

He says this working in partnership would be necessary regardless of austerity.

BMA Scotland , externalused its submission to the committee to say that its members report that for the most part the relationships with Police Scotland are good, and the 'help and support of the police is indispensable'.

It says, however, there are challenges: 

• Scope of the problem within the community such as resources during out of hours care
• Patients within hospial, abscondees by those detained under the Mental Healh Act
• Patients taken by police to emergency departments
• suicidal patients

Image source, BMA Scotland

• People under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs   
• Patients with dementia 
• Police skills/attributes 

Read more here, external.

Assistant Chief Constable Malcolm Graham says a lot of calls for service that are unplanned come during out-of-hours and at the weekend.

ACC Graham says nearly 50% of missing people that are reported to the police are reported on a Saturday.

He says incidents where people become distressed in public spaces also occur more at the weekends, although there is no hard data to back this up.

Dr Peter Bennie from the British Medical Association says it is crucial there are very good links with the police and out of hours GPs, psychiatric services, social work and accident and emergencies.

Dr Bennie says all the agencies are working under very tight financial constraints but more resources are needed to do this well.

Calum Steele from the Scottish Police Federation says the solution must be a holistic view and community based.

Mr Steele says austerity is a choice and it makes it difficult for all agencies to provide a service.

He says: "We have to make sure resources are available to make a real difference in peoples' lives."

Dr Peter Bennie from the British Medical Association says he also works as a consultant psychiatrist. 

Dr Bennie says "the general experience of doctors is that the police are doing a very good job."

He says the police have a role to deal with members of the public who are in distress.

Dr Bennie says, where people are known to services, it is essential that forward planning is in place because it is known that an emergency may arise.

"It is impossible to create a care plan that will respond to every eventuality," he says. 

Alzheimer Scotland , externaluses its submission to the committee to say it is delighted to have worked with police across Scotland as partners on several Dementia Friendly Community initiatives, and to have supported many members of the policy to become Dementia Friends . 

The charity says initiatives encourage a proactive approach from the whole community to supporting people with dementia to remain a valued part of that community, and to live as independently as possible. 

Image source, Alzheimer Scotland

Over recent months, the charity has been working with Police Scotland and other stakeholders on the development of a system that can use social media in a safe way to support a search for someone with dementia who has gone missing. 

The charity has also liaised with police in many areas about use of the ‘Herbert Protocol’ – a system adopted by many UK police forces whereby someone supporting a person with dementia gather all the information that would help the police on a form, ready to hand straight over to police should they be called in event of someone going missing. 

Read more here, external.

Image source, bbc

Amy Dalrymple from Alzheimer Scotland says the Herbert protocol means police will have information about people who may go missing.

Ms Dalrymple says social media is now being used to support the police.

She says to reduce demand, people with dementia must be supported properly. 

This requires the right environment and support, which will reduce police incidents, says Ms Dalrymple.