Scots cops on mental health calls being held up at A&E to stop rammies in waiting rooms

Police officers who take people in mental health crisis to A&E claim they are being delayed so they can act as waiting room security guards.A report by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) looking at the impact of mental health callouts on policing revealed the shocking details last week.The Scottish Police Federation (SPF), which represents rank and file officers, confirmed that they had reports of constables spending entire shifts in A&E.David Threadgold, SPF chairman, said: “This situation is simply not sustainable.

We are hearing of entire shifts of officers waiting at A&E departments for people to be triaged, sitting in people’s living rooms waiting for phone calls from mental health professionals, and officers having to transport patients to health facilities in police vehicles which are neither fit for purpose or appropriate.”According to the HMICS report, some officers believed they were being deliberately held up in hospital waiting rooms.Their report said: “Having taken a person in crisis to hospital for assessment, some officers expressed the belief that they were deliberately being provided an unprioritised service so they could remain in the hospital and provide a visible deterrent to disorder or other issues while there.“Were this found to be the case, this would not be an appropriate means of securing security at hospital accident and emergency departments.” Join the Daily Record's WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. Craig Naylor, HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary in Scotland, said: “Police Scotland will always have a key role in supporting those experiencing poor mental health.“This should, however, be within a wider structure which