A new initiative that will help police officers in Cambridgeshire better deal with people affected by mental health issues has been given the green light. 

Staff from Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT) will ride alongside police in two specialist response cars to a mental health related incident as part of the project. 

The project, funded by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care System (CPICS), means police can avoid using their powers to detain people or unnecessarily convey someone to hospital. 

Jamie Secker, service manager at CPFT, said: “Many incidents that police get called out to involve someone with a mental health issue, so to have our practitioners working alongside frontline officers is a very welcome move. 

“We recognise that police officers are stretched, so if we’re able to speed up some of the processes and take on some of the referral paperwork, it frees them up to do other important tasks.” 

The first mental health response car began operating last year as part of a pilot project and has dealt with around 50 incidents a month. 

The patrol cars will also be directed to deal with other emergencies and situations, as well as mental health incidents. 

Detective Inspector Dan Cooper said: “When people are experiencing a mental health crisis, they need specialist care as soon as possible.  

“This scheme allows that to happen and also helps to free up vital policing resource.” 

Det Insp Cooper said without the help of mental health practitioners, officers would often have to take a person in a mental health crisis to A&E and wait with them, or section that person using policing powers. 

The CPFT, who provide mental health care and treatment to patients, will ride alongside police from 3-11pm Sunday to Thursday and 5pm-1am on Fridays and Saturdays. 

Louis Kamfer, deputy chief executive officer and managing director of strategic commissioning at the CPICS, believes the partnership between the CPFT and police can continue to make a difference to peoples’ lives.  

He said: “Not only does it show what we can achieve when our services work together, but it also provides a better person-centred approach to someone’s mental health.”