Street teams halve mental health-related arrests in North East

Street teams of nurses and police have halved the number of mental health-related arrests.

In the North East about 1,200 people are detained under the Mental Health Act each year.

But a two-year study found that the teams delivering street triage had cut this amount to about 600 a year.

Newcastle University researchers, publishing in the BMJ Open, said the project meant options other than arrest were considered.

Researchers also found it cost the NHS, local authorities, ambulance and police services a combined total of more than £1,600 to hold someone in custody for three to four hours.