Right Care Right Person to be rolled out in Wiltshire

Wiltshire Police is working with partners, including Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, to roll out a national operational model aiming to ensure vulnerable people get the right support from the right agency when they need it.

Right Care Right Person was initially instigated by Humberside Police in 2019 following an increase in health-related calls which did not fall within the core responsibilities of policing.

A national partnership agreement has since been signed at ministerial level for Right Care Right Person to be rolled out across all police areas.

Temporary Chief Superintendent, Force Operations and the Crime and Communications Centre, David Minty said: “Right Care Right Person is focused on giving the most appropriate and beneficial care to members of our communities. There are circumstances where our partners in health or social care are best placed to offer support to vulnerable people.”

Right Care Right Person will not stop the police attending incidents where there is a threat to life or risk of immediate serious harm to an individual. Wiltshire Police have a duty to protect our communities and will continue to do so.

Within the Wiltshire Police area, the first phase of Right Care Right Person will be implemented from Monday 8 April.

This first phase will apply to calls for service about concern for the welfare of a person, those who have walked out of a healthcare setting and people who are absent without leave (AWOL) from mental health services.

A second phase will follow relating to medical incidents including requests for transportation of patients.

The Right Care Right Person model will not be applicable to children when it is initially rolled out within the Wiltshire Police area.

Wiltshire Police is working closely with partner agencies to deliver Right Care Right Person. The College of Policing is also supporting the implementation across all police force areas with a national toolkit including operational guidance.

Wendy Johnson, Associate Director of Safeguarding and Lead for Mental Health at Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“We are working closely with Wiltshire Police and partners across our system to support the implementation of Right Care Right Person. Doing this will help us to make sure that vulnerable people across the local area are given access to the right support they need.

We will continue to work collaboratively with these colleagues, to ensure that people across Swindon and our local community are able to access the correct support from suitably trained professionals, including teams at the Great Western Hospital, and in the community, when they need it.”

Gill May, Chief Nurse, Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board, said:

“A mental health crisis is every bit a medical emergency as a severe physical injury, and it’s only right that vulnerable people in these challenging situations are cared for appropriately and in environments that can ensure their wellbeing is maintained.

“The NHS has a close working relationship with local police colleagues, and we will continue to work together to ensure the Right Care, Right Person programme is implemented safely and securely.”  

Mathew Page, Chief Operating Officer at the Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership Trust said “We support the principle of ensuring that people should receive a health response to a health issue. When someone is unwell and experiencing a mental health crisis they need the care of a trained health professional who is equipped to offer the most appropriate support.  

“We have long standing good working relationship with Wiltshire Police, which will continue within the requirements of Right Care Right Person. Working together we will ensure that we recognise where the support of the police is required.”

More information about Right Care Right Person is available on the Wiltshire Police website by visiting www.wiltshire.police.uk

Mental Health Support

For anyone who find themselves in mental health crisis, support is available 24 hours a day through the NHS mental health crisis line where you will be able to speak to a trained mental health professional - call 111 and then select the mental health option.

In addition, you can seek support via the Samaritans by calling 116 123.