Mental health and custody: a follow on study
Ian Cummins
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to report the findings of a small scale indicative research project.
The project explores the assessment of detained persons in police custody by Forensic Physicians (FP).
Design/methodology/approach – A range of information was collected in every case where custody
staff had identified a mental health concern and requested an FP assessment. As well as information
about demographic factors, this would include questions regarding any links that the individuals had
with community-based mental health services. As well as this information, anonymous custody records
and force adverse incident records for the month were examined.
Findings – In the month of the project, 59 FP assessments were requested. Only six members of this
group had any contact with community-based mental health services: two with a social worker, two with
a CPN and two with a psychiatrist. Of this group, three had not been in contact with mental health
services for over a month.
Research limitations/implications – The size of the cohort and variety of arrangements for providing
nursing and social care support in custody settings may limit the generalisation of the findings.
Practical implications – This study highlights that there is a group of individuals whose mental health
causes concern to the police in a custody environment. In this study, the overwhelming majority of the
group have no contact with mental health services. The research supports the recommendations of the
Bradley Review for wider health care provision in custody settings.
Originality/value – The paper highlights that fully effective community mental health services need to
consider police custody settings as a key point for intervention.
Keywords Vulnerable adults, Police custody, Forensic physicians, Safeguarding, Adult protection,
Mental health services
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
This paper reports the findings from a study carried out into assessments carried out by
Forensic Physicians (FP). The assessments were all undertaken in police custody settings
where custody officers had concerns relating to the mental health of the detained person.
A range of information was collected in every case where custody staff had identified a mental
health concern and requested a FP assessment. As well as information about demographic
factors, any links with community-based mental health services were explored. As well as this
information, anonymous custody records and force adverse incident records for the month
were examined. This study highlights that there is a group of individuals whose mental health
causes concern to the police in a custody environment. In this study, the overwhelming majority
of the group had no contact with mental health services. The research supports the
recommendations of the Bradley Review for wider health care provision in custody.
The Bradley Review
In 2008, the government commissioned a report to look at the experiences of people with
mental health problems or learning disabilities in contact with the criminal justice
DOI 10.1108/14668201211217521 VOL. 14 NO. 2 2012, pp. 73-81, Q Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 1466-8203
j
THE JOURNAL OF ADULT PROTECTION
j
PAGE 73
Ian Cummins is a Senior
Lecturer in Social Work in
the School of Nursing,
Midwifery and Social Work,
University of Salford,
Salford, UK.