AMHP Leads Network concern at Met Police rollout of “Right Care Right Person” model amid reports of misinterpretation of policy

Right Care, Right Person (RCRP) is a model that changes the way the emergency services respond to calls involving concerns about mental health.

According to the Metropolitan Police, it is aimed at making sure “the right agency deals with health related calls, instead of the police being the default first responder as is currently the case in most areas”.

In a letter sent to leaders of London health and social care providers on 24 May 2023, Sir Mark Rowley confirmed that the Met will begin to introduce RCRP from September.

Responding to the announcement, AMHP noted that it “strongly advocates” for more collaboration in any national or regional implementation of changes to Police responses in mental health situations.

The network said: “While we broadly support the aim to reduce or stop the use of police where more appropriate support is or should be available to support an individual in distress, this support is based on the view that police time needs to be free to continue to attend mental health related incidents in situations where there is no other appropriate agency to undertake the role required.”

It added: “Situations such as the application of s136, execution of warrants issued under s135, and the support of community staff or members of the public in situations where there is an incident or significant risk of harm.”

AMHP noted that information from its members in areas where RCRP has rolled out indicated there was a “risk of misinterpretation of the policy” leading to:

• People with protected characteristics under the Equalities Act being excluded from receiving the same level of support as others.
• Situations in which relevant organisations are present or involved already, but concurrently police support also being needed and not provided.
• Situations that meet the threshold for police attendance but it being declined due to poor knowledge by call agents of the nuances of the law, agreements and duties or over-zealous application of the strategy.

The network has called for all agencies in mental health crisis care to work in “genuine partnership” and have “equal influence on the development of systems able to manage the demands in mental health crisis care”.

Lottie Winson